The Potential Synergistic Effect of Saccharomyces boulardii and Lactobacillus acidophilus on Dietary Glucose Liberation

Our gut microbiome is a dynamic and complex community of microorganisms that play a vital role in our immune system and metabolism. Probiotics have gained significant traction in the health and scientific communities due to their potential health benefits particularly in our gut microbiome. A particular probiotic organism that is already known to beneficially aid in metabolism, primarily glucose metabolism is the bacteria Lactobacillus acidophilus. Due to most probiotic foods and supplements being developed using multiple strains and species, it is of interest to quantify the potential synergistic abilities of the two most used species of probiotics when used in combination: the bacteria Lactobacillus acidophilus and the yeast Saccharomyces boulardii. With the rise of metabolic disorders and the price of synthetic insulin in the United States, identifying novel approaches to regulate glucose levels could offer alternate or complementary therapies. The objective of this study was to explore any potential synergistic effects of a co-culture of S. boulardii and L. acidophilus in metabolizing dietary glucose. Probiotic supplements are typically consumed in the morning during breakfast, therefore, to replicate this process and as a source of dietary glucose, a super food mix consisting of white bread, orange juice, and one whole egg was prepared. After both probiotic organisms had been revived, they were thoroughly mixed with 1 ml of the super food mix and 1 ml of a stomach acid solution both individually and in co-culture. Total glucose levels [mg/dL] in each incubation were measured using a glucose colorimetric detection kit. In this ‘proof-of-concept' experiment, the introduction of both S.boulardii and L.acidophilus into an in vitro stomach incubation caused glucose levels to decrease by 25.6%. Although there was a marked decrease, more testing is required to determine the statistical significance. These experiments do show some promise of a positive collaborative effect between these microorganisms in reducing GI levels of glucose.