Persistence of Lactobacillus reuteri DSM17938 in the Human Intestinal Tract: Response to Consecutive and Alternate-Day Supplementation

Abstract

Background: Probiotics may enhance gastrointestinal health and immune function. The efficacy of different probiotic dosing strategies on colonization and persistence of probiotics is undefined.

Objective: The authors assessed colonization and persistence of Lactobacillus reuteri (L. reuteri) DSM17938 (BioGaia AB, Stockholm, Sweden) after daily or alternate-day dosing.

Methods: Volunteers ate pudding with L. reuteri (10⁹ CFU) daily (n = 9) or on alternate days (n = 9) over 7 days. Fecal samples were collected on dosing days (D1–7) and after dosing ended (D13–15 and D20–22) and were analyzed for the presence of L. reuteri. Results are reported in 3-day increments (D2–4, D5–7, D13–15, and D20–22).

Results: L. reuteri count rose in response to daily supplementation ([mean ± SD] D2–4: 4 × 10⁴ ± 2 × 10⁴ CFU, p < 0.01; D5–7: 10 × 10⁴ ± 9 × 10⁴ CFU, p < 0.01) and alternate-day supplementation (D2–4: 21 × 10⁴ ± 20 × 10⁴ CFU, p < 0.01; D5–7: 11 × 10⁴ ± 15 × 10⁴ CFU, p = 0.06) and fell in both groups 1 week after dosing ended (p < 0.01). Total volunteers with detectable L. reuteri 1 and 2 weeks after dosing ended was similar in response to daily feeding (4/9 and 2/9, respectively) and alternate-day feeding (3/9 and 2/9, respectively). L. reuteri count was higher D2–4 in response to alternate-day vs daily feeding (p < 0.05) but similar thereafter.

Conclusions: Alternate-day probiotic intake achieves equivalent colonization to daily intake, but colonization declines rapidly once dosing stops. It is possible that, initially, responsiveness to probiotics may differ between individuals, but those differences do not persist with longer consumption.

Key words::

• probiotics
• Lactobacillus reuteri
• colonization

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors would like to thank BioGaia AB (Stockholm, Sweden) for providing the probiotics (L. reuteri DSM17938) used in this study and Mary Ellen Sanders for her editorial review of the article.

Fig. 1 Fecal counts of L. reuteri during and after supplementation. This bar graph contains the L. reuteri counts at baseline and on study days 2–4, 5–7, 13–15, and 20–22 in response to consecutive-day and alternate-day feedings.

Table 1. Quantity of L. reuteri in Pudding

Table 2. Adverse Events

Table 3. Baseline Characteristics

Notes

The results within this article were presented at the Experimental Biology Annual Meeting (Federation of American Societies of Experimental Biology) in Anaheim, CA, on April 27, 2010.

Disclaimers: None of the authors have any personal or financial interest in this research or with a commercial sponsor. The opinions or assertions contained herein are the private views of the authors and are not to be construed as official or reflecting the views of the Army or the Department of Defense. Any citations of commercial organizations and trade names in this report do not constitute an official Department of the Army endorsement of approval of the products or services of these organizations.