Galactooligosaccharide

See also : Prebiotics
Other names : Galacto-oligosaccharides, GOS, oligogalactosyllactose, oligogalactose, oligolactose, transgalactooligosaccharides (TOS)
belong, because of their indigestible nature, to the group of prebiotics. Prebiotics are defined as non-digestible food ingredients that beneficially affect the host by stimulating the growth and/or activity of beneficial bacteria in the colon. GOS occurs in commercial available products such as food for both infants and adult, ranging from infant formula to biscuits to food for the critical ill.

Benefits and uses of Galactooligosaccharide are

Because of the configuration of their osidic bonds, galactooligosaccharides resist hydrolysis by salivary and intestinal digestive enzymes. Therefore they reach the colon virtually intact.The human intestine contains about 300-500 different species of bacteria that can be divided into health-promoting ones, like Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli and into harmful ones like Clostridia. Galacto-Oligosaccharides (GOS) are classified as prebiotics, defined as non-digestible food ingredients that beneficially affect the host by stimulating the growth and/or activity of beneficial bacteria in the colon. The increased activity of these health-promoting bacteria results in a number of health-related benefits both directly by the bacteria themselves or indirectly by the organic acids they produce via fermentation. Examples of potential health-promoting benefits are inhibition of the growth of harmful bacteria, stimulation of immune functions, absorption of essential nutrients and syntheses of certain vitamins.

• Stimulating health-promoting bacteria : Galactooligosacchairdes have been shown to be an excellent source for health-promoting bacteria such as Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli. Many studies with infants and adults have shown that foods or drinks enriched with galacto-oligosaccharides result in a significant increase in Bifidobacteria. In comparison with other oligosaccharides, the bifidogenicity for galactooligosacchairdes was strongly shown. However, not all GOS result in the same effect due to differences in their structures as explained above. For example, consumption of Bimuno by humans was shown to result in significantly higher bifidogenic effect than consumption of Vivinal GOS
• Support of natural defenses : Human gut microbiota play a key role in the intestinal immune system, in maintaining a disease-free state. The gut and immune system form a complex structure that provides defence against ingested toxins and pathogenic bacteria. A well-balanced gut microflora is thought to play a particularly important role in the natural defense of the human body. Galacto-oligosaccharides support natural defenses of the human body via the gut microflora,indirectly by increasing a number of good bacteria in the gut and inhibiting the binding or survival of Escherichia coli, Salmonella Typhimurium and Clostridia to the body, reducing the chances of getting infected, and directly by interaction with immune cells. For example, in infants the usage of galacto-oligosaccharides has been shown to have a potential role in allergy prevention and reduction of infectious diseases. Galactooligosaccharide supplementation has also been shown to reduce symptoms of gastrointestinal dysfunction and reduce the number of days with cold or flu in stressed undergraduate students undergoing exams.
• Improvement of mineral absorption : While calcium is necessary for processes such as bone development, only part of the calcium present in the diet is available for absorption. GOS can contribute to the provision of sufficient levels of calcium as it stimulates its absorption. In humans it has been demonstrated that the consumption of GOS significantly increases calcium absorption. In animal studies it has been demonstrated that administration of galacto-oligosaccharides results in more efficiently absorbed calcium and increased bone density, indicating the prevention of bone losses.
• Relief of constipation : Constipation is a frequent problem, particularly among the elderly and pregnant women. For these individuals, consumption of galactooligosaccharides can offer relief to their constipation. For these individuals consumption of Vivinal GOS can offer relief of their complaints, as it has been shown to increase frequency of defecation.
• Synbiotic properties : GOS is a prebiotic. The main similarity between pre- and probiotics (synbiotics) is that they both result in beneficial effects to the host after consumption. Human studies with infants and children indicated that galacto-oligosaccharides showed higher numbers of Bifidobacteria and increased resistance to respiratory infections during the first two years of life when galacto-oligosaccharides were added to a probiotic mixture.