Naked Science Forum
Life Sciences => Physiology & Medicine => Topic started by: annie123 on 02/07/2018 18:51:33
-
I heard a scientist talk about bifidobacteria in our microbiome and how it can affect inflammation in that feeding it with oligofructose makes it more active. In mice this apparently reduce inflammation such as that found in arthritic joints. This has not been tried in humans yet, but there are supplements that provide these bacteria - not sure where one gets oligofructose. I'm not keen on supplements in general - quantities are always difficult to decide upon relative to the purpose etc. and there are some warnings that allergic reactions can occur. Has anyone any experience of this substance? i wrote to the researcher but no reply.
-
Oligofructose is a form of dietary fibre found in vegetables and other plants. It’s a prebiotic, serving as food for friendly gut bacteria. It's a soluble fibre, which means it dissolves in water. If you eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, you won't have trouble getting enough of this fibre from your diet.
Don’t usually, but I’m going to quote Wiki - “Bifidobacterium is a genus of gram-positive, nonmotile, often branched anaerobic bacteria. They are ubiquitous inhabitants of the gastrointestinal tract, vagina and mouth of mammals, including humans.”
So it doesn’t look as though you need to supplement, you should have plently if you follow a healthy varied diet.