READING, England—Inulin exerts a bifidogenic effect in healthy adults (Eur J Clin Nutr. 2007;61:1189-95) (DOI:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602636). Researchers from The University of Reading, with support from Roosendaal, Netherlands-based Sensus, provided 30 healthy volunteers, ages 19 to 35 years, with a chocolate drink containing placebo (maltodextrin, 8 g/d), 5 g/d inulin or 8 g/d inulin for two week treatment periods; each treatment was followed by a one-week washout period and progression to the next treatment. Fecal samples were obtained at baseline, at the end of each treatment and the end of each washout period. Both the low and high inulin doses increased levels of bifidobacteria compared to placebo, with a higher volunteer percentage responding to the higher dose. The magnitude of increase in bifidobacteria levels depended on the subject’s initial bacterial counts; those with higher initial concentration had smaller increases during active treatment.
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