Effects of synbiotic supplement on body weight and fasting blood glucose levels in obesity: A randomized placebo-controlled trial

Andi Salsa Anggeraini; Muhammad Nasrum Massi; Firdaus Hamid; Ahyar Ahmad; Suryani As'ad; Agussalim Bukhari

doi:10.1016/j.amsu.2021.102548

Effects of synbiotic supplement on body weight and fasting blood glucose levels in obesity: A randomized placebo-controlled trial

Ann Med Surg (Lond). 2021 Jul 9:68:102548. doi: 10.1016/j.amsu.2021.102548. eCollection 2021 Aug.

Authors

Andi Salsa Anggeraini^{1

2}, Muhammad Nasrum Massi³, Firdaus Hamid³, Ahyar Ahmad⁴, Suryani As'ad⁵, Agussalim Bukhari⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Microbiology, Makassar Muhammadiyah University, Makassar, Indonesia.
² Doctorate Program, Faculty of Medicine, Hasanuddin University, Makassar, Indonesia.
³ Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Hasanuddin University, Makassar, Indonesia.
⁴ Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Sciences, Hasanuddin University, Makassar, Indonesia.
⁵ Department of Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Hasanuddin University, Makassar, Indonesia.

Abstract

Background: Obesity and diabetes are related. The role of gut microbiota disruption in obesity has been reported as a cause of several metabolic diseases including diabetes.

Objectives: Evaluate the effects of synbiotic supplementation (a combination of probiotic and prebiotic) on body weight (BW), Body Mass Index (BMI), and Fasting Blood Glucose (FBG) in obese subjects.

Methods: This study was a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled. Participants were allocated with randomization into 2 groups: the obese group with synbiotic supplementation and the obese group with placebo; each group consists of 8 participants. BW, BMI, and FBG level were measured at baseline, 8 weeks after supplementation, and 4 weeks after terminating the supplementation.

Results: There were no significant change of body weight and BMI after 8 weeks synbiotics supplementation and 4 weeks after supplement discontinuation, but there were significant increases in body weight by 3.38 kg and BMI by 1.37 kg/m² in the control group. Fasting blood glucose levels were significantly decreased by 6.125 mg/dL after synbiotic supplementation. FBG did not resume 4 weeks after terminating the supplementation. In contrast, there was a significant increase of FBG in control group on week 8 and was further increased 4 weeks after placebo was discontinued.

Conclusions: Synbiotic supplementation may prevent increase of body weight and BMI in obesity and this may be related with lower fasting blood glucose levels.

Keywords: Blood glucose; Body weight; Obesity; Synbiotics.