The results show that a mere four days of supplementation resulted in a significant boost in beneficial microbes and a reduction in potentially pathogenic microbes. These effects can inhibit inflammation, a benefit that helps prevent the development of gut cancer, Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and other maladies.
Key Beneficial Ingredients
The NPJ study at Laval University and the Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods (INAF) in Canada examined the cranberry extract product, Prebiocran.Data analysis revealed that Prebiocran is rich in polyphenol antioxidants, the most abundant of which are flavan-3-ols. The product contains oligosaccharides, which are small carbohydrate fibers that may enhance polyphenol bioactivity.
Effects on the Gut
In the experiment, 28 healthy participants were given a daily dose of the extract, equivalent to 60 grams of fresh cranberries, for four days. Evidence indicated that this regimen improved gut health through probiotic properties, which boost beneficial bacterial strains, and antimicrobial properties, which reduce potentially pathogenic strains. The researchers referred to this dual mode of action as “duplibiotic.”1. Probiotic
The probiotic effects involved Bifidobacterium and butyrate-producing bacteria.Bifidobacterium
The cranberry extract significantly increased the colon population of Bifidobacterium, a species that links to a reduced risk of cardiometabolic diseases.Butyrate-Producing Bacteria
The extract raised the number of butyrate-producing bacteria, including Anaerobutyricum and Clostridium.
Butyrate helps protect against infection and disease, as well as strengthens the gut barrier, which permits the absorption of nutrients but prevents the entrance of potentially harmful microbes and other substances. Lower levels of butyrate and the microbes that produce it are linked to poorer health outcomes.
2. Antimicrobial
The cranberry extract significantly decreased the colon population of Bacteroides, which are potentially pathogenic. This reduction allows Bifidobacterium to consume the oligosaccharides and occupy the Bacteroides’ gut niche.Health Import of the Benefits
Because many maladies stem from the consumption of the Western diet, a valuable import involves countering its harmful effects, lead researcher Yves Desjardins said in a statement.“This diet alters the microbiota, causes inflammation of the mucosa, and compromises the integrity of the intestinal barrier ... Alteration of the intestinal barrier allows the passage of lipopolysaccharides (LPS) derived from the intestinal microbiota, known as metabolic endotoxemia, and is a crucial factor in the onset and progression of inflammation and metabolic diseases,” he said.
Magnitude of the Benefits
The NPJ study characterized the prebiotic effect as “strong.” The fact that it occurred so quickly makes it all the more promising when viewed in context with the low dose of key ingredients.“Normally, these bacteria are stimulated by dietary fibre consumption. We observed the same effect with cranberry extract with a dose almost 20 times lower,” Jacob Lessard-Lord, a co-author and postdoctoral fellow at INAF, said in the statement.
Further Insights Into Microbiome Importance
Gastroenterologist Dr. Rudolph Bedford of Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California, told The Epoch Times that various factors underlie why gut health is so important for wellness.“The gut is probably the largest immunologic organ, and the changing of any immunologic mechanisms within the body will impact overall health in a variety of ways,” he said.
Changes in gut bacteria, in addition to affecting immunological uptick, will alter hormonal levels, urological makeup, and “just about every physiological function.”
This is why Bedford believes so much research is looking at the gut microbiome and its links to disease processes. He noted that diseases affected include a range of conditions ranging from an array of physical health maladies to mental health conditions, such as depression and anxiety.
Beyond the gut’s vital role in immunity, which has broad wellness implications, other factors contribute to the organ’s critical effect on general health.
“There are over 10 trillion bacterial colonies in the gut—a greater quantity than the number of cells in the body,” Bedford said. “In addition, people are exposed to a variety of things, including medications and food, that change the gut microbiome either positively or negatively.”
How to Improve Gut Microbiome
In light of all of the above, efforts to improve gut health, such as eating a healthy diet and getting regular exercise, are worthwhile.Diet
Studies suggest that plant-based diets can be beneficial for the microbiome, while animal-based diets can be detrimental. Animal-based eating plans increase populations of potentially pathogenic microbes and decrease populations of microbes that produce butyrate.Exercise
Other studies found that exercise is a factor that can improve the quality of the gut microbiome in the following ways:- Enhances microbial diversity, which is critically important for normal gut physiology
- Improves the ratio of beneficial to potentially pathogenic bacteria, which may help with weight loss and obesity-related conditions, as well as gastrointestinal conditions
- Stimulates the growth of bacteria involved in regulating immunity and boosting gut barrier functions, leading to a decrease in metabolic disease and obesity incidence
- Increases bacteria that can produce substances protective against colon cancer and gastrointestinal disorders
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