Effect of Multispecies Probiotic Supplements on Metabolic Profiles, hs-CRP, and Oxidative Stress in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

TLDR

No prior study has examined the impact of daily multispecies probiotic supplementation on metabolic profiles, hs‑CRP, and oxidative stress in type 2 diabetes patients. The study aimed to assess the effects of an 8‑week multispecies probiotic regimen on metabolic parameters, hs‑CRP, and oxidative‑stress biomarkers in type 2 diabetes patients. A double‑blind, placebo‑controlled trial randomized 54 type 2 diabetes patients to receive either a multispecies probiotic supplement (containing 7 bacterial strains and fructo‑oligosaccharide) or placebo for 8 weeks, with fasting blood samples collected before and after intervention to measure metabolic, inflammatory, and antioxidant markers. Compared with placebo, probiotic supplementation prevented a rise in fasting plasma glucose, reduced hs‑CRP levels, and increased plasma GSH, while the increase in HOMA‑IR was significantly smaller than in the placebo group.

Abstract

We are aware of no study that has indicated the effects of daily consumption of multispecies probiotic supplements on metabolic profiles, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and oxidative stress in diabetic patients.This study was designed to determine the effects of multispecies probiotic supplements on metabolic profiles, hs-CRP, and oxidative stress in diabetic patients.This randomized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial was performed on 54 diabetic patients aged 35-70 years. Subjects were randomly assigned to take either a multispecies probiotic supplement (n = 27) or placebo (n = 27) for 8 weeks. The multispecies probiotic supplement consisted of 7 viable and freeze-dried strains: Lactobacillus acidophilus (2 × 10(9) CFU), L. casei (7 × 10(9) CFU), L. rhamnosus (1.5 × 10(9) CFU), L. bulgaricus (2 × 10(8) CFU), Bifidobacterium breve (2 × 10(10) CFU), B. longum (7 × 10(9) CFU), Streptococcus thermophilus (1.5 × 10(9) CFU), and 100 mg fructo-oligosaccharide. Fasting blood samples were taken at baseline and after intervention to measure metabolic profiles, hs-CRP, and biomarkers of oxidative stress including plasma total antioxidant capacity and total glutathione (GSH).Between-group comparisons of fasting plasma glucose (FPG) revealed that consumption of probiotic supplements prevented a rise in FPG (+28.8 ± 8.5 for placebo vs. +1.6 ± 6 mg/dl for probiotic group, p = 0.01). Although a significant within-group increase in serum insulin and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels was found in both the probiotic group and the placebo group, the changes were similar between the two groups. We observed a significant increase in HOMA-IR (homeostasis model of assessment-insulin resistance) in both the probiotic group (p = 0.02) and the placebo group (p = 0.001); however, the increase in the placebo group was significantly higher than that in the probiotic group (+2.38 vs. +0.78, p = 0.03). Mean changes in serum hs-CRP were significantly different between the two groups (-777.57 for the probiotic group vs. +878.72 ng/ml for the placebo group, p = 0.02). Probiotic supplementation led to a significant increase in plasma GSH levels compared to placebo (240.63 vs. -33.46 µmol/l, p = 0.03).In conclusion, multispecies probiotic supplementation, compared with placebo, for 8 weeks in diabetic patients prevented a rise in FPG and resulted in a decrease in serum hs-CRP and an increase in plasma total GSH.