Live longer, live better

THERE ARE significant changes under way in the global economy. The continuing rise of emerging markets is one. Aging populations is another. The latter is gripping not just developed markets, such as Japan and Europe, in parts of emerging Asia, populations are greying rapidly as well.

A global issue

The world is rapidly aging. There were approximately 810 million individuals aged 60 years or over in the world in 2012, and this number is projected to grow to more than a whopping 2 billion by 2050. Asia has more than half (55%) of the world’s older persons, followed by Europe, which accounts for 21% of the total.1

In some parts of the world, life expectancy is as high as 86. And with longer lives come new consumer attitudes about aging, health and the role food and beverage products can play.

Aging implications

This demographic change has major implications for the global economy with countries facing rising health-care costs, a shrinking workforce, higher pension costs and diminishing fertility rates. Many countries have already begun adapting to their increasingly aging populations, such as spending more on elderly care.

The term “healthy agers” is used on consumers between the ages of 45 and 75+. For these so-called “healthy agers,” there is a big difference between getting older and getting old. They are not retiring—they’re starting new careers and new passions, and they want products that help them look, feel and perform their best.

Bracing for the “silver tsunami”

As the world braces for an unprecedented ‘silver tsunami’, it challenges society to adapt, in order to maximise the health capacity of the older people. Hence, globally, scientists have been working relentlessly to improve and maintain the health of the elderly.

In a recent collaborative study by DuPont Nutrition & Health and the University of Reading (UK), the clinical study results showed that immune function can be improved by consumption of DuPont Danisco probiotic strain Bifidobacterium lactis Bi-07?.

The effect of probiotic Bifidobacterium lactis Bi-07 on immune function in healthy elderly subjects has been published in the Journal of Nutritional Science.2

Why bifidobacteria?

Bifidobacteria were discovered in 1899 in the faeces of breast-fed infants. This was of particular interest to scientists as these bacteria are typically the most abundant species present in the intestine of breast-fed infants and regarded as a primary reason for the infants’ greater resistance to disease.

Today, bifidobacteria are broadly recognised for their key role in the human intestinal microbiota throughout life. A high proportion of bifidobacteria in the intestinal tract is considered beneficial to health. Bifidobacterim lactis Bi-07 has long been considered safe and suitable for human consumption with several published studies address its safety.3-7

Immune health benefits for the elderly

“In the double-blinded, placebo-controlled, randomised cross-over study, 40 healthy elderly volunteers were randomly divided into four groups which received maltodextrin as a placebo, prebiotic galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS), probiotic Bi-07 and a synbiotic combination of GOS + Bi-07. Blood, saliva and faecal samples were taken from the study subjects to analyse markers of immune function and microbiota composition.

Researchers concluded that consumption of the probiotic Bifidobacterium lactis Bi-07 improves the function of specialised innate immune cells, the phagocytes, in elderly subjects. The elderly commonly have reduced immune function and this physiological effect may thus contribute to a better maintenance of their health.

“Immunity continues to be one of the main fields of research for DuPont Nutrition & Health. Alterations in the gut microbiota and immune functions of elderly adults are associated with higher susceptibility to infections and metabolic disorders,” says Dr Markus Lehtinen, a DuPont senior scientist.

“Phagocytosis, by which immune cells ‘eat’ bacteria or infected cells, is one of the mechanisms that help to resist infections. Results of this study show that the probiotic Bi-07 may provide health benefits to elderly individuals by increasing the activity of phagocytic cells.”

Leading the way in clinically documented probiotics

“This study reinforces the scientific documentation associated with the Bi-07? strain, which is an important component of our HOWARU documented probiotic range,” said Scott Bush, Product Line Leader, Probiotics. “It is also yet another demonstration to the market of our continuing commitment to strong, science-based innovation at DuPont.”

* Jasmine Chia is regional marketing communications manager at DuPont Nutrition & Health

References

1www.un.org/esa/population/publications/2012PopAgeingDev_Chart/2012 Pop Ageing and Dev_WallChart.pdf (Accessed April 2014)

2 http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/jns.2013.31

3 Auguirre, M. & Collins, M.D. (1993). Lactic acid bacteria and human cinical infections. J. Appl. Bact. 75:95-107.

4 Gasser, F. (1994). Safety of lactic acid bacteria and their occurrence in human clinical infections. Bull Inst Pasteur 92:45-67.

5 Salminen S., von Wright, A., Morelli, L., Marteau, P., Brassart, D., de Vos, W.M., Fonden, R., Saxelin, M., Collins, K., Mogensen, G., Birkeland, S.-E. & Mattila-Sandholm, T. (199*). Demonstration of safety of probiotics – a review. Int. J. Food Prot. 4:93-106.

6 Boyle, R.J., Robins-Browne, R.M. & Tang, M.L. (2006). Probiotics use in clinical practice: what are the risks? Am J. Clin Nutr. 83(6): 1256-64.

7 Borriello, S.P., Hammes, W.P., Holzapfel, W., Marteau, P., Schrezenmeir, J., Vaara, M. & Valtonen, V. (2003). Safety of probiotics that contain lactobacilli or bifidobacteria. Clin. Infect Dis. 36:775-780.