Specific prebiotic composition for precision bacterial therapy in patients with irritable bowel syndrome

Abstract

Various factors can alter the balance of the gut microbial ecosystem, including food imbalances, gastroenteritis, dyspepsia, inflammatory bowel diseases and antibiotic therapy, potentially causing the condition generally identified as dysbiosis. The objective of this observational study was to evaluate the impact of a precision prebiotic mixture based on inulin, galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS), fruit-oligosaccharides (FOS), isomaltooligosaccharide (IMO), lactulose and polydextrose marketed under the name Fibradis® on gut microbiota. Fibradis® is formulated with the specific intent of promoting the physiological development of bifidobacteria and lactobacilli in patients diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and already receiving treatment where treatment had successfully resolved painful symptoms but symptomatic residues remained such as discomfort, meteorism, flatulence, diarrhoea (IBS-D) and constipation (IBS-C) or alternating episodes of diarrhoea and constipation (IBS-M), potentially suggestive of a residual intestinal dysbiosis. In addition to their normal treatment, to which no changes were made, 24 patients took one sachet of 3.3 g Fibradis® on an empty stomach every day before breakfast for 14 days. A symptomatology assessment was performed at t0 and t1 using a score between 0 and 10 according to the visual analogue Scott-Huskisson scale. In patients undergoing IBS therapy but with residual symptoms, taking one sachet of Fibradis® for 14 days is related to a significant reduction in meteorism and flatulence and improved intestinal function, demonstrating good tolerability. Further larger studies, with a more articulated protocol and more specific recruitment dynamics will further clarify the potential of this first precision prebiotic formulation in the management of intestinal dysbiosis.