Posted on 03/05/2024 7:48:06 PM PST by ConservativeMind
A daily fiber supplement improved brain function in people over 60 in just 12 weeks. The study showed that this simple and cheap addition to diet can improve performance in memory tests associated with early signs of Alzheimer's disease.
However, the prebiotic supplements inulin and FOS were found to have no effect on muscle strength over this period.
As populations age globally, the prevalence of age-related conditions such as cognitive decline is on the rise. Researchers sought to understand how targeting the microbiota, the diverse community of microorganisms residing in our intestines, using two cheap, commercially available plant fiber supplements inulin and FOS, could impact both muscle health and brain function.
Researchers assigned 36 twin pairs—72 individuals—over 60 years old to receive either a placebo or the supplement every day for 12 weeks. Neither the analysis team, nor the participants knew which they received until the analysis was complete (double-blind). Alongside this, all study participants did resistance exercises and ate a protein supplement which was aimed at improving muscle function.
Researchers monitored participants remotely via video, online questionnaires and cognitive tests. They found the fiber supplement led to significant changes in the participants' gut microbiome composition, particularly an increase in the numbers of beneficial bacteria such as Bifidobacterium.
While there was no significant difference in muscle strength between the groups, the group receiving the fiber supplement performed better in tests assessing brain function, including the Paired Associates Learning test which is an early marker for Alzheimer's disease, together with tests of reaction time and processing speed. These measures are important for daily living—for example reacting to traffic or stopping a simple trip-up turning into a fall.
"These plant fibers, which are cheap and available over the counter, could benefit a wide group of people in these cash-strapped times.
(Excerpt) Read more at medicalxpress.com ...
However, it is roughly half FOS and half inulin.
A powder that has both inulin and FOS, and has a type of inulin that is a special fraction of inulin with better properties than normal, is called Synergy1. This is available as a powder in Jarrow Formulas Prebiotic Inulin-FOS.
I have used this supplement for reasons outside of memory concerns.
LOL, get rid of the sh!t in your brain by taking fiber.
My proctologist told me to take fiber supplements twice a day, and I’m a believer.
What about those of us who can’t take Inulin? For me Inulin is like IBS in a pill. I eat anything with Inulin and two days later it’s Katy bar the door.
Bkmk
You may find the specialized form in that Jarrow powder is different than normal inulin.
I read the study. I didn’t take enough science to interpret HOW MUCH did the intervention improve cognition.
Can anyone here figure that out?
I take this Jarrow formula “Prebiotic Inulin-FOS”, which I purchase from iHerb, also for reasons outside memory.
BOOKMARK
Bfl
(Katy bar the door)
That’s an OLD expression I haven’t heard in years.
Burdock.
The large yard weed that looks like rhubarb and fruits with picker balls.
Young leaves are as spinach, when the leaves get too tough the stems are as asparagus, and when the stems are too tough the root looks like a beige carrot but tastes like a earth nut celery artichoke.
The Japanese have been taking advantage of this for millennia.
The guy playing in the weeds in your local park isnt necessarily homeless, he may be the local survivalist sourcing supper.
...and you dont have to pick the weeds if youre worried about dog pee, there is a domestic Asian strain for your garden.
“stems” = leaf stems, not fruiting stalk
https://www.fiberfacts.org/chicory-root-fiber-inulin-oligofructose-fructooligosaccharides-fos/
Source
Chicory (Cichorium intibus L.) is a biennial plant in the Asteraceia family that is also known as succory, hendibeh, blue daisy, blue dandelion, blue weed and coffeeweed. The root stores the carbohydrate energy known as inulin.1 Background
Inulin is present in numerous fruits and vegetables. It has been consumed by man since ancient times, and it is estimated that men living in the North-American Chihuahua desert over 10,000 years ago consumed 135 g of inulin per day.2 Inulin is a complex carbohydrate that is the chicory plant’s source of stored energy. When dried, the chicory root contains about 17 percent inulin.
To isolate inulin, roots are harvested, washed and cut into slices, allowing inulin to dissolve in hot water, which is collected then dried.1 Chicory inulin is a linear ß (2->1) fructan consisting of chains of fructose units (up to 60 and more units) which may have a glucose unit at the beginning (GFn; G:Glucose, F: fructose, n: number of fructose units). The shorter chains of inulin are called oligofructose or fructooligosaccharides (FOS). Chicory root fiber is undigested since the bindings between molecules are not hydrolysed by human enzymes.3 Extensive research over 20 years, including more than 150 human intervention studies, substantiates the nutritional and health-related properties of chicory root fiber.
While scientific research is limited at this time, burdock root contains a variety of nutrients such as antioxidants and inulin that are known to help with conditions like skin disorders, inflammation, digestion, and more.
Reduce Chronic Inflammation
Burdock root contains a number of antioxidants, such as quercetin, phenolic acids, and luteolin, which can help protect your cells from free radicals. These antioxidants help reduce inflammation throughout the body.
Well, I’m old. 🤣
May try it, thanks
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