Bifidobacterium longum benefit

Following birth, the breast-fed infant gastrointestinal tract is rapidly colonized by a microbial consortium often dominated by bifidobacteria.

Bifidobacterium longus is found in a probiotic supplement called Life Flora.

Probiotics modulate the Bifidobacterium microbiota of elderly nursing home residents.
Age (Dordr). 2009; Lahtinen SJ, Tammela L, Korpela J, Parhiala R, Ahokoski H, Mykkänen H, Salminen SJ. Functional Foods Forum, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
Gut Bifidobacterium microbiota of the elderly has been suggested to differ from that of adults, possibly promoting the risk of infections and gut barrier dysfunction. Specific probiotics may improve the gut barrier. In this randomized, placebo-controlled intervention study, 66 elders consumed a fermented oat drink containing probiotic Bifidobacterium longum 46 and B. longum 2C or a non-fermented placebo oat drink for 6 months. Fecal samples were collected before, during and after the intervention. The Bifidobacterium levels in the elderly were high and the species composition diverse. Probiotic intervention increased the levels bifidobacteria significantly. Specifically, the levels of Bifidobacterium catenulatum, Bifidobacterium bifidum and Bifidobacterium breve were enhanced. Consumption of the fermented oat drink itself was also associated with certain changes in microbiota. In conclusion, Bifidobacterium microbiota of elderly subjects may be modulated by probiotic administration. In some healthy elderly populations, Bifidobacterium microbiota may be more abundant and diverse than previously suggested.

Bifidobacterium strains suppress in vitro the pro-inflammatory milieu triggered by the large intestinal microbiota of coeliac patients.
J Inflamm. 2008: Medina M, De Palma G, Ribes-Koninckx C. Microbial Ecophysiology and Nutrition, Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos (CSIC), Valencia, Spain.
Coeliac disease is an enteropathy characterized by an aberrant immune response to cereal-gluten proteins. Although gluten peptides and microorganisms activate similar pro-inflammatory pathways, the role the intestinal microbiota may play in this disorder is unknown. The purpose of this study was to assess whether the faecal microbiota of coeliac patients could contribute to the pro-inflammatory milieu characteristic of CD and the possible benefits of bifidobacteria. The effect of feces of 26 CD patients with active disease (age range 2-12 years), 18 symptom-free coeliac disease (SFCD) patients (age range 1-12 years) on a gluten-free diet for 1-2 years; and 20 healthy children on induction of cytokine production and surface antigen expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells were determined. The possible regulatory roles of Bifidobacterium longum ES1 and Bifidobacterium bifidum ES2 co-incubated with fecal samples were also assessed in vitro. The intestinal microbiota of CD patients could contribute to the Th1 pro-inflammatory milieu characteristic of the disease, while Bifidobacterium longum ES1 and Bifidobacterium bifidum ES2 could reverse these deleterious effects.

Bifidobacterium longum ES1
NCC2705