Foods (Jun 2022)

Consumption of a Gelatin Supplemented with the Probiotic Strain <i>Limosilactobacillus fermentum</i> UCO-979C Prevents <i>Helicobacter pylori</i> Infection in a Young Adult Population Achieved

  • Cristian Parra-Sepúlveda,
  • Kimberly Sánchez-Alonzo,
  • Joaquín Olivares-Muñoz,
  • Cristian Gutiérrez-Zamorano,
  • Carlos T. Smith,
  • Romina I. Carvajal,
  • Katia Sáez-Carrillo,
  • Carlos González,
  • Apolinaria García-Cancino

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11121668
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11, no. 12
p. 1668

Abstract

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Helicobacter pylori is a bacterium associated with various gastrointestinal diseases of high worldwide prevalence. Since probiotics are an emerging alternative to managing infection by this pathogenic bacterium, the present work evaluated, in a randomized double-blind study controlled by a placebo, if consuming Limosilactobacillus fermentum UCO-979C prevents H. pylori infection in humans. Participants consumed either L. fermentum UCO-979C-supplemented gelatin (67 participants) or placebo-supplemented gelatin (64 participants) once a day, five days per week for 12 weeks. H. pylori infection in the participants was controlled before and after the intervention detecting H. pylori antigens in stools. Regarding H. pylori-infected participants before the study, 100% remained infected at the end of the study in the placebo group, while 96.7% of those receiving the probiotic remained infected after the intervention. Most importantly, of the non-infected participants, 34.2% became infected and 65.8% remained non-infected in the placebo group, while 2.7% became infected and 97.3% remained as non-infected individuals in the intervened group. Therefore, consuming the L. fermentum UCO-979C strain significantly reduced H. pylori infection, demonstrating a 92.6% efficacy in avoiding infection by this pathogen in non-infected individuals; thus, this probiotic is an excellent candidate to prevent H. pylori infections in non-infected individuals.

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