204
9 Laminarins
9.7.2 Gut Health
Laminarin has potential to serve as a dietary fiber in human nutrition with some
bioactive benefits. The possibility of laminarin acting in the modulation of the composition and function of the gut is one which has been investigated by researchers in
a number of reported in vitro and in vivo studies. Although they are indigestible by
any of the known digestive enzymes of the human body and cannot be broken down
into smaller units for metabolism, their passage through the alimentary canal can
potentially pose some health benefits. In an in vitro study which modeled the human
digestive system based on an anaerobic batch fermenter system which replicates the
microflora and biochemical composition of the human gut system, the variation in
the composition with the inclusion of laminarin was investigated. The study revealed
that laminarin is digested by the bacteria in the human gut by >90%. In further studies on rats, it was shown that laminarin affected the mucus content which in turn
affects bacterial attachment to the walls of the intestine. Laminarin also affects the
pH and biochemical composition of the gut, particularly the short-chain fatty acid
content (Deville et al. 2007). These parameters, which can be affected by laminarin,
contribute to the metabolism in the intestine. Laminarin has a pH lowering effect in
the intestine, and this lower pH is beneficial to metabolism, it promotes beneficial
bacterial growth, enhances the absorption of minerals and has been associated with
cancer prevention.
One of the attractions of dietary fibers is the possibilities of having probiotic
effects, that is, enhancing the growth of beneficial bacteria in the human digestive
system, mainly Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus (Deville et al. 2007). There are
conflicting reports as to whether laminarin has prebiotic effects or not (Michel et al.
1999; Deville et al. 2007).
The studies on the effect of laminarin on gut health have advanced to in vivo test on
mammals such as piglets. For example, studies on piglets following weaning stage of
growth showed that laminarin improved their resistance to the pathogenic microbes,
Salmonella typhimurium (Bouwhuis et al. 2017). This can be achieved either by
administering laminarin directly to the piglet or to the show during weaning and
then transferred to the piglet in the breast milk. This was achieved with a dosage
of 300 ppm laminarin per tonne of feed; therefore, this improvement in gut health
can be achieved with a relatively low amount of laminarin. The improvement in gut
health is due to a combination of factors; the laminarin either induced the expression
of genes which gave the piglet improved defense against the pathogen or the direct
antimicrobial effect of laminarin fed in the diet on S. typhimurium in the gut or it
improved the architecture of the gut, making it more effective at eliminating the
pathogenic microbe.
9 Laminarins
9.7.2 Gut Health
Laminarin has potential to serve as a dietary fiber in human nutrition with some
bioactive benefits. The possibility of laminarin acting in the modulation of the composition and function of the gut is one which has been investigated by researchers in
a number of reported in vitro and in vivo studies. Although they are indigestible by
any of the known digestive enzymes of the human body and cannot be broken down
into smaller units for metabolism, their passage through the alimentary canal can
potentially pose some health benefits. In an in vitro study which modeled the human
digestive system based on an anaerobic batch fermenter system which replicates the
microflora and biochemical composition of the human gut system, the variation in
the composition with the inclusion of laminarin was investigated. The study revealed
that laminarin is digested by the bacteria in the human gut by >90%. In further studies on rats, it was shown that laminarin affected the mucus content which in turn
affects bacterial attachment to the walls of the intestine. Laminarin also affects the
pH and biochemical composition of the gut, particularly the short-chain fatty acid
content (Deville et al. 2007). These parameters, which can be affected by laminarin,
contribute to the metabolism in the intestine. Laminarin has a pH lowering effect in
the intestine, and this lower pH is beneficial to metabolism, it promotes beneficial
bacterial growth, enhances the absorption of minerals and has been associated with
cancer prevention.
One of the attractions of dietary fibers is the possibilities of having probiotic
effects, that is, enhancing the growth of beneficial bacteria in the human digestive
system, mainly Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus (Deville et al. 2007). There are
conflicting reports as to whether laminarin has prebiotic effects or not (Michel et al.
1999; Deville et al. 2007).
The studies on the effect of laminarin on gut health have advanced to in vivo test on
mammals such as piglets. For example, studies on piglets following weaning stage of
growth showed that laminarin improved their resistance to the pathogenic microbes,
Salmonella typhimurium (Bouwhuis et al. 2017). This can be achieved either by
administering laminarin directly to the piglet or to the show during weaning and
then transferred to the piglet in the breast milk. This was achieved with a dosage
of 300 ppm laminarin per tonne of feed; therefore, this improvement in gut health
can be achieved with a relatively low amount of laminarin. The improvement in gut
health is due to a combination of factors; the laminarin either induced the expression
of genes which gave the piglet improved defense against the pathogen or the direct
antimicrobial effect of laminarin fed in the diet on S. typhimurium in the gut or it
improved the architecture of the gut, making it more effective at eliminating the
pathogenic microbe.