Yoghurt containing galacto-oligosaccharides, prunes and linseed reduces the severity of mild constipation in elderly subjects

• Published in: European journal of clinical nutrition Vol. 61; no. 12; pp. 1423 - 1428
• Main Authors: Sairanen, U, Piirainen, L, Nevala, R, Korpela, R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 01.12.2007; Nature Publishing; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; analysis; Biological and medical sciences; Body mass index; Cathartics; Cathartics - therapeutic use; chemistry; Clinical Nutrition; Constipation; Constipation - drug therapy; Cross-Over Studies; Defecation; Defecation - drug effects; Dietary Fiber; Dietary Fiber - therapeutic use; disease severity; Double-Blind Method; drug effects; drug therapy; elderly; elderly nutrition; Epidemiology; Feces; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Female; Flax; Flax - chemistry; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Galactooligosaccharides; Gastroenterology. Liver. Pancreas. Abdomen; Gastrointestinal symptoms; Humans; Internal Medicine; Intervention; Laxatives; linseed; Male; Males; Medical sciences; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Metabolic Diseases; Middle Aged; Nutrition research; nutritional intervention; Older people; Oligosaccharides; Oligosaccharides - therapeutic use; original-article; Other diseases. Semiology; prunes; Prunus; Prunus - chemistry; Public Health; Stomach. Duodenum. Small intestine. Colon. Rectum. Anus; therapeutic use; Treatment Outcome; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; Yogurt; Yogurt - analysis; United States > US; Finland; constipation; linseed; prunes; elderly subjects; galacto-oligosaccharides; Human; Nutrition; Oligosaccharide; Metabolic diseases; Yogurt; Treatment; Digestive diseases; Intestinal disease; Constipation; Elderly
• ISSN: 0954-3007; 1476-5640
• DOI: 10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602670

Objective: Constipation is a common problem in the elderly. Dietary fibre is recommended for its treatment. The aim was to examine whether yoghurt containing galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS), prunes and linseed relieve constipation in elderly subjects. Design: A randomized, double-blinded, cross-over study. Setting: Free-living subjects. Subjects: A group of 43 elderly subjects with self-reported constipation (mean age 76 years, range 61-92 years, 32 females, 11 males). Interventions: The study consisted of a 2-week baseline period and 2, 3-week dietary interventions, with a 2-week wash-out period between the interventions. During the interventions, the subjects ingested, in random order, 260 g/day of either control yoghurt or test yoghurt containing GOS (12 g/day), prunes (12 g/day) and linseed (6 g/day). The use of laxatives was controlled and only allowed after 2 days without defecation. Results: Defecation frequency was 5.7 times/week during the baseline period. During the test yoghurt period, defecation frequency was higher (8.0 vs 7.1 times/week, P=0.011), defecation was easier (on the scale 0-3, 1.3 vs 1.5, P=0.010), and there was a tendency towards softer stools (on the scale 0-3, 2.1 vs 2.2, P=0.059) compared with the control yoghurt period. The subjects felt that the test yoghurt relieved constipation more effectively than the control yoghurt (P=0.005). The sum of gastrointestinal symptoms did not differ between the interventions. The use of laxatives remained constant throughout the study. Conclusions: Daily intake of yoghurt containing GOS, prunes and linseed reduced the severity of constipation in elderly subjects with mild constipation.