Peer-reviewed study finds fibre may boost focus potentially involving the gut-microbiome

Tate & Lyle PLC, a global leader in ingredient solutions for healthier food and beverages, welcomes the publication of a new peer-reviewed study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, which sheds light on how soluble corn fibre may support cognitive function.

Through a randomised placebo-controlled crossover trial involving healthy middle-aged and older adults, researchers found that daily intake of soluble corn fibre significantly improved focus, while also boosting gut bacteria in ways that may support brain function.

Researchers set out to test whether soluble dietary fibre, already known to support gastrointestinal and physical health, could also improve cognitive performance by changing the gut microbiota, an emerging area of research. The study specifically evaluated the effects of soluble corn fibre on cognitive performance, gut microbiota composition, and the substances those bacteria produce, with the aim of identifying changes in the gut environment affecting cognitive function.

Over a four-week period, forty-two participants consumed soluble corn fibre daily and carried out tests to measure their memory and ability to focus attention. Researchers found that soluble corn fibre consumption led to selectively improved response times during tests compared with the control and increased the abundance of Parabacteroides. Parabacteroides are bacteria that have been linked to possible anti-inflammatory effects, gut barrier protection, and gut derived compounds that could be relevant to gut-brain communication and health outcomes [1].

Dr. David A. Alvarado, lead researcher, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, said: “Soluble fibre is well known for supporting gut and overall physical health, but we are still learning how specific fibres might influence the brain. In our study, consuming soluble corn fibre significantly improved how quickly participants responded during tests of attention and inhibitory control, without sacrificing accuracy. We also saw consistent shifts in the gut microbiota, including increases in Parabacteroides distasonis, a microbe that is well suited to break down this fibre. The extent of the cognitive improvement varied with the magnitude of change in Parabacteroides. These findings point to a gut microbiome signal that may partly help explain how soluble corn fibre supports aspects of brain-related performance.”

Dr. Clare Leonard, VP Nutrition and Health Sciences, Tate & Lyle, said: “There is so much potential for better health outcomes through targeted feeding of the gut microbiota. Fibre is the greatest underutilised resource in our diets. We are seeing studies linking the gut-heart axis, gut-brain axis, and so much more. What’s so wonderful is the solution isn’t an exclusive or expensive supplement but an affordable ingredient that consumers and the industry can easily build into everyday diets: soluble corn fibre. Increasing intakes could be a major unlock for public health.”

Abigail Storms, VP Sweeteners and Fibres, Tate & Lyle, said: ”The science of the gut–brain axis is advancing rapidly, and this study is a powerful example of how nutrition can support cognitive outcomes in ways consumers increasingly care about. Our market insights show strong demand for benefits like focus and stress support, but also a disconnect: people are seeking these outcomes while the industry is still in the early stages of clearly explaining how fibre, prebiotics, and probiotics really work. Evidence that soluble corn fibre can improve focus and positively shift gut bacteria helps bridge that gap, reinforces how everyday ingredients can play a meaningful role in wellbeing. With fibre intakes globally well below recommended levels, connecting this kind of science to consumer-friendly benefits is an important step toward motivating the higher fibre consumption we know is needed.”

The peer-reviewed study has been published in The Journal of Nutrition and was part-funded by Tate & Lyle. The soluble corn fibre used in the study was Tate & Lyle’s PROMITOR^® Soluble Fibre.

Indena’s Quercefit^® is an innovative 100 % food-grade delivery system of quercetin based on Phytosome^® technology, which optimises quercetin bioavailability (up to 20 times and in the range of a diet rich in vegetables and fruits) with dose linearity. It has been proven to be an effective natural help to manage early stage conditions of COVID-19, in combination with standard care.

Although the emergency due to the pandemic is luckily decreasing at a global level, COVID-19 continues to be the focus for several scientific analysis. Quercetin Phytosome^® has been the object of several human studies in the last two years¹ – the most recent one issued in January 2023² – which demonstrated that this ingredient, in combination with standard care, when used in early stage of COVID-19, could aid in ameliorating the early conditions and helps keeping the immune system strong, mildening the symptoms and optimising the timing of molecular test conversion from positive to negative.

The most recent study involved a larger group of subjects (100 subjects consisting of 50 people in the quercetin group and 50 ones in the control group) completing the preliminary data anticipated and published in 2021.

Antonella Riva, Head of Product Innovation and Development & LCM of Indena S.p.A, commenting the study “Quercetin as a possible complementary agent for early-stage COVID-19: Concluding results of a randomised clinical trial” by Di Pierro et al., explains: “This randomised clinical trial investigated the possible adjuvant effect of an oral quercetin supplementation in mild to moderately symptomatic COVID-19 outpatients. The results revealed that subjects who received quercetin in addition to standard care, cleared the virus better (tested negative for SARS-CoV-2) and had milder symptoms as compared to the people who received the standard care alone. Moreover, participants in the quercetin group also showed statistically significant improvement in the serum levels of inflammatory biomarker LDH. Also the outcomes of our last study then – adds Riva – suggest possible quercetin supplementation effectiveness in the early-stage mild to moderately symptomatic COVID-19 outpatients and may help in optimising the clearance of the SARS-CoV-2 infection, mildening of the symptoms and modulation/control of the host’s inflammatory response. The study also supports the safety of quercetin supplementation in subjects with COVID-19 which has an unpredictable and complex course and hence may be potentially used as an adjuvant alongside routine care in the management of mild to moderate symptoms of COVID-19”.

“We keep devoting resources to clinical research with the aim to get stronger and stronger scientific evidences about Indena’s ingredients. We’re very happy and proud to see such results from our Quercefit^® and to give our contribution in helping people’s health which has had to face one of the most serious pandemics in recent years” adds Stefano Togni, Chief Commercial Officer of Indena S.p.A.

Quercetin, a flavonol not naturally present in the human body, is the most abundant polyphenol in fruits and vegetable and is widely used as a dietary supplement to boost the immune system and in general to promote a healthy condition. Quercetin is characterised by crucial pharmacological properties including, antioxidant and immune-protective effects, which allows it to be a potential candidate to support all unpleasant conditions.

¹Di Pierro et al., Possible Therapeutic Effects of Adjuvant Quercetin Supplementation Against Early-Stage COVID-19 Infection: A Prospective, Randomized, Controlled, and Open-Label Study, International Journal of General Medicine 2021:14 2359–2366. https://www.dovepress.com/possible-therapeutic-effects-of-adjuvant-quercetin-supplementation-aga-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article- IJGM https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34135619/
Di Pierro et al., Potential Clinical Benefits of Quercetin in the Early Stage of COVID-19: Results of a Second, Pilot, Randomized, Controlled and Open-Label Clinical Trial, International Journal of General Medicine 2021:14 2807–2816. https://www.dovepress.com/potential-clinical-benefits-of-quercetin-in-the-early-stage-of-covid-1-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-IJGM Rondanelli et al., Promising Effects of 3-Month Period of Quercetin Phytosome^® Supplementation in the Prevention of Symptomatic COVID-19 Disease in Healthcare Workers: A Pilot Study 2022: 12 66 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35054459/
²Di Pierro et al., Quercetin as a possible complementary agent for early-stage COVID-19: Concluding results of a randomized clinical trial, Front. Pharmacol. 13:1096853. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2022.1096853

A new clinical research paper provides additional evidence that BeniCaros^®, a functional food, beverage and supplement ingredient, prepares the immune system and strengthens healthy immune responses, NutriLeads BV announced. The research was recently published in the peer-reviewed journal Nutrients.

The research paper elaborates on previous findings that showed 300 mgs. of BeniCaros accelerated immune responses and significantly reduced the severity and duration of symptoms in a study of 146 healthy human subjects following a controlled challenge with a common cold virus. These latest data demonstrate that BeniCaros, a soluble prebiotic carrot fiber known scientifically as Rhamnogalacturonan-I or cRG-I, significantly reduced individual cold symptoms and helped subjects feel better and maintain their quality of life. The paper is titled, “Effects of Dietary Supplementation with Carrot-Derived Rhamnogalacturonan-I (cRG-I) on Accelerated Protective Immune Responses and Quality of Life in Healthy Volunteers Challenged with Rhinovirus in a Randomized Trial.”

“Subjects taking BeniCaros felt considerably better and reported significant reductions in common cold symptoms, including a runny nose, sore throat, coughing and feeling tired, compared with the placebo group,” said Ruud Albers, Ph.D., NutriLeads founder and Chief Scientific Officer. “The BeniCaros group also reported significantly better quality-of-life scores than the placebo group, including the ability to think clearly, exercise and accomplish daily activities and work inside and outside the home.”

BeniCaros has a dual mode of action that trains the immune system to respond faster, preparing innate immune cells for a heightened state of readiness, and selectively increases beneficial gut microorganisms and their metabolites that support immune responses.

“Our research shows that BeniCaros supports and accelerates healthy immune responses when they are needed most,” said Joana Carneiro, NutriLeads Chief Executive Officer. “These latest data illustrate the ways in which BeniCaros helps individuals live their lives so nothing slows them down.”

Study design

In the randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 146 healthy adults were given either BeniCaros or a placebo for eight weeks, after which they were exposed to a standardised dose of a mild rhinovirus via the nose. Researchers utilised blood, fecal and nasal fluid samples to count immune cells, track blood markers, measure immune responses and investigate gene expression. In addition, a validated clinical questionnaire was used to evaluate common cold symptom severity and quality of life.

Subjects were asked to complete the Wisconsin Upper Respiratory Symptom Score-21 (WURSS-21) questionnaire every morning for two weeks starting the day before infection. WURSS-21 is comprised of 21 questions divided into three sections: total score and “how well do you feel today?”, upper respiratory tract infection symptoms, and quality-of-life questions to assess the impact of a common cold on daily activities.

Study results: BeniCaros reduced severity, duration & impact of cold symptoms

Subjects taking 300 mgs. of BeniCaros reported statistically significant reductions in symptom severity (20 – 33 %) and duration (28 – 43 %) compared with the placebo group, based on the total WURSS-21 over 13 days post infection. BeniCaros subjects experienced a lower peak value in severity (day 3) and lower impact (10 – 30 %) of a variety of common cold symptoms, including runny nose, sore throat, cough and feeling tired.

BeniCaros also significantly reduced the negative impact of a common cold on quality of life. In comparison with the placebo group, BeniCaros subjects reported that their colds interfered 10 – 30 % less with their quality of life. Key measurements included the ability to think clearly, walk, climb stairs, exercise, accomplish daily activities, work inside and outside the home and live their personal lives.

Biological study data show BeniCaros supports a cascade of protective immune responses in the presence of a health challenge. BeniCaros accelerated local and systemic immune response biomarkers, including critical anti-viral interferon gene expression and mobilisation of innate immune cells to the site (nasal cavities) of the challenge. Ex vivo stimulation of whole blood samples demonstrated that BeniCaros enhanced the function of natural killer cells, which play an important role in the early innate immune response to virus infections. Importantly, systemic immune responses following BeniCaros supplementation were unchanged in the absence of an immune challenge.

“BeniCaros trains the immune system to be ready to respond when it is challenged,” said Dr. Albers. “It does not lead to broad, non-specific activation of the innate immune system. It is important that immune-support products designed to be taken long term do not stimulate or boost the immune system unnecessarily.”