Plasma cobalamin and folate and their metabolic markers methylmalonic acid and total homocysteine among Egyptian children before and after nutritional supplementation with the probiotic bacteria Lactobacillus acidophilus in yoghurt matrix.

摘要

Objective: To evaluate the biopotency of the viable probiotic L. acidophilus (La1) in yoghurt matrix consumed by Egyptian children on their plasma vitamin B12 and folate levels, and their metabolic markers methylmalonic acid (MMA) and total homocysteine (t-Hcy). Methods: A randomized nutritional supplementation trial (42 days duration) was performed in 24 free-living children aged 11 years of both sexes from Souhag Governorate, Egypt. The La1 in yoghurt matrix was administered to provide 1012 colony-forming units/subject per day. Blood sampling for the analysis of plasma vitamin B12, folate and t-Hcy was performed by standardized methods. Five-hour urine collection was used for the analysis of MMA and t-Hcy. Results: Initially, 33.3% of the children presented with biochemical vitamin B12 deficiency (<208 pg/ml), while one-fifth (21%) were biochemically deficient in folate (<3 ng/ml folate per ml plasma or 0.68 nmol/litre). 50% of the children presented with high plasma t-Hcy (>15.0 micro mol/litre). The daily consumption of the probiotic La1 yoghurt for 42 days significantly improved the mean levels of plasma vitamin B12 (P<0.05) and folate (P<0.01) among the studied children compared with the respective baseline data. On the other hand, the average levels of plasma t-Hcy and urinary MMA decreased significantly (P<0.05) at the termination of the 42-day nutritional supplementation, compared with the respective initial mean levels. The consumption of the probiotic yoghurt was also associated with a significant ( chi 2=8.0; P<0.01) reduction in the percentage prevalence of anaemia (haemoglobin <120 g/litre). Conclusion: The long-term ingestion of viable probiotic La1 potentially promoted the overall nutritional status of the evaluated children..