BACKGROUND The nutrition and health of horses is closely tied to their gastrointestinal microflora. Gut bacteria break down plant structural carbohydrates and produce volatile fatty acids, which are a major source of energy for horses. Bacterial communities are also essential for maintaining gut homeostasis and have been hypothesized to contribute to various diseases including laminitis. We per...

Rccognition that creatures in a conventional environment carry a large burden of metabolically active micro-organisms in their gastro-intestinal tracts makes untenable the classic concept of nutrition as a simple relationship between the diet and its consumer. Instead it must be regarded as a series of complicated interactions between the diet, its consumer and his resident microflora. T o unde...

Increasing awareness that the human intestinal flora is a major factor in health and disease has led to different strategies to manipulate the flora to promote health. The complex microflora of the adult is difficult to change in the long term. There is greater impact of diet on the infant microflora. Manipulation of the flora particularly with probiotics has shown promising results in the prev...

BACKGROUND Recent data have outlined a relationship between the composition of the intestinal microflora and allergic inflammation, and demonstrated the competence of probiotics in downregulation of such inflammation. AIMS Our aims were to characterise the relationship between gut microbes and the extent of allergic sensitisation and to assess whether the efficacy of bifidobacterial supplemen...

Background: Recent data have outlined a relationship between the composition of the intestinal microflora and allergic inflammation, and demonstrated the competence of probiotics in downregulation of such inflammation. Aims: Our aims were to characterise the relationship between gut microbes and the extent of allergic sensitisation and to assess whether the efficacy of bifidobacterial supplemen...

The gut of preterm neonates is colonised with a paucity of bacterial species originating more from the environment than from the mother. Furthermore, a delayed colonisation by bifidobacteria promotes colonisation by potentially pathogenic bacteria. This may contribute towards the development of neonatal necrotising enterocolitis (NEC). The physiopathology of NEC is still unclear but immaturity ...

This study investigates the effectiveness of two types of prebiotics-stachyose and raffinose-which are present in staple food crops that are widely consumed in regions where dietary Fe deficiency is a health concern. The hypothesis is that these prebiotics will improve Fe status, intestinal functionality, and increase health-promoting bacterial populations in vivo (Gallus gallus). By using the ...

A fucosylated chondroitin sulfate (FCS-pg) with highly repeated structure from Pearsonothuria graeffei was subjected to a in vitro fermentation model to investigate its fermentability and effects on human gut microflora. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) measurement found FCS-pg can be fermented to short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) by gut microflora from partial human fecal samples. 1...

The health benefits of dietary fiber have long been appreciated. Higher intakes of dietary fiber are linked to less cardiovascular disease and fiber plays a role in gut health, with many effective laxatives actually isolated fiber sources. Higher intakes of fiber are linked to lower body weights. Only polysaccharides were included in dietary fiber originally, but more recent definitions have in...

Background: Reversal of the progressive increase in frequency of atopic disease would be an important breakthrough for health care and wellbeing in western societies. In the hygiene hypothesis this increase is attributed to reduced microbial exposure in early life. Probiotics are cultures of potentially beneficial bacteria of the healthy gut microflora. We assessed the effect on atopic disease ...