''Bifidobacterium adolescentis'' is an

anaerobic Anaerobic means "living, active, occurring, or existing in the absence of free oxygen", as opposed to aerobic which means "living, active, or occurring only in the presence of oxygen." Anaerobic may also refer to: *Adhesive#Anaerobic, Anaerobic ad ...

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

bacteria Bacteria (; : bacterium) are ubiquitous, mostly free-living organisms often consisting of one Cell (biology), biological cell. They constitute a large domain (biology), domain of Prokaryote, prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micr ...

found in the gastrointestinal tracts of humans and other primates. It is one of the most abundant and prevalent ''

Bifidobacterium ''Bifidobacterium'' is a genus of gram-positive, nonmotile, often branched anaerobic bacteria. They are ubiquitous inhabitants of the gastrointestinal tract though strains have been isolated from the vagina and mouth ('' B. dentium'') of mamma ...

'' species detected in human populations, especially in adults.

Research into health benefits

''Bifidobacterium adolescentis'' has been studied for its health benefits, as strains have been shown to potentially protect against or improve recovery from several diseases, including liver-related,

metabolic Metabolism (, from ''metabolē'', "change") is the set of life-sustaining chemical reactions in organisms. The three main functions of metabolism are: the conversion of the energy in food to energy available to run cellular processes; the ...

allergic Allergies, also known as allergic diseases, are various conditions caused by hypersensitivity of the immune system to typically harmless substances in the environment. These diseases include hay fever, food allergies, atopic dermatitis, alle ...

airway,

colitis Colitis is swelling or inflammation Inflammation (from ) is part of the biological response of body tissues to harmful stimuli, such as pathogens, damaged cells, or irritants. The five cardinal signs are heat, pain, redness, swelling, and ...

arthritis Arthritis is a general medical term used to describe a disorder that affects joints. Symptoms generally include joint pain and stiffness. Other symptoms may include redness, warmth, Joint effusion, swelling, and decreased range of motion of ...

, and bacterial

infections An infection is the invasion of tissue (biology), tissues by pathogens, their multiplication, and the reaction of host (biology), host tissues to the infectious agent and the toxins they produce. An infectious disease, also known as a transmis ...

. Strains have also been demonstrated to possess

anti-inflammatory Anti-inflammatory is the property of a substance or treatment that reduces inflammation, fever or swelling. Anti-inflammatory drugs, also called anti-inflammatories, make up about half of analgesics. These drugs reduce pain by inhibiting mechan ...

anxiolytic An anxiolytic (; also antipanic or anti-anxiety agent) is a medication or other intervention that reduces anxiety. This effect is in contrast to anxiogenic agents which increase anxiety. Anxiolytic medications are used for the treatment of anxie ...

antioxidant Antioxidants are Chemical compound, compounds that inhibit Redox, oxidation, a chemical reaction that can produce Radical (chemistry), free radicals. Autoxidation leads to degradation of organic compounds, including living matter. Antioxidants ...

antidepressant Antidepressants are a class of medications used to treat major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders, chronic pain, and addiction. Common side effects of antidepressants include Xerostomia, dry mouth, weight gain, dizziness, headaches, akathi ...

, and/or antiviral activity. In addition, ''B. adolescentis'' strains have been of interest for their ability to metabolize prebiotics such as

arabinoxylan Arabinoxylan is a form of the hemicellulose xylan found in both the primary and secondary cell walls of plants which in addition to xylose contains substantial amounts of another pentose sugar, arabinose.Scheller, H. V., & Ulvskov, P. (2010). Hem ...

, XOS, and GOS. Bifidobacteria typically produce

acetic acid Acetic acid , systematically named ethanoic acid , is an acidic, colourless liquid and organic compound with the chemical formula (also written as , , or ). Vinegar is at least 4% acetic acid by volume, making acetic acid the main compone ...

and

lactic acid Lactic acid is an organic acid. It has the molecular formula C3H6O3. It is white in the solid state and it is miscible with water. When in the dissolved state, it forms a colorless solution. Production includes both artificial synthesis as wel ...

, though the exact ratio depends on the bacterial strain, the carbohydrate being metabolized, and the growth conditions. Production of short chain fatty acids and lactic acid in the colon is associated with health benefits. ''Bifidobacterium adolescentis'' contributes to the production of

GABA GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid, γ-aminobutyric acid) is the chief inhibitory neurotransmitter in the developmentally mature mammalian central nervous system. Its principal role is reducing neuronal excitability throughout the nervous system. GA ...

, a neurotransmitter that plays a role in reducing stress and anxiety. Some ''B. adolescentis'' strains can also synthesize

B vitamins B vitamins are a class of water-soluble vitamins that play important roles in Cell (biology), cell metabolism and synthesis of red blood cells. They are a chemically diverse class of compounds. Dietary supplements containing all eight are referr ...

, such as

folic acid Folate, also known as vitamin B9 and folacin, is one of the B vitamins. Manufactured folic acid, which is converted into folate by the body, is used as a dietary supplement and in food fortification as it is more stable during processing and ...

. One strain has been shown to be bifidogenic in the GI tract. That is, the presence of one ''B. adolescentis'' strain enhances the growth of all bifidobacteria, a group that generally confers positive health benefits and is important for healthy aging. Some ''B. adolescentis'' have been shown to strengthen the intestinal barrier that is important in preventing pathogenic bacteria and toxins from traveling from the gut lumen into the body. Another study suggested the opposite effect: an undefined ''B. adolescentis'' strain was observed to disrupt gut barrier functions in colonic epithelial

cell cultures Cell culture or tissue culture is the process by which cells are grown under controlled conditions, generally outside of their natural environment. After cells of interest have been isolated from living tissue, they can subsequently be main ...

. Multiple

probiotics Probiotics are live microorganisms that provide health benefits when consumed, generally by improving or restoring the microbiota in the Gut microbiota, gut. Probiotics are considered GRAS, generally safe to consume, but may cause bacteria– ...

are marked as containing ''B. adolescentis'', however there are a limited number of commercially available strains (PRL2019, iVS1) with published scientific studies supporting their health claims.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2902068 Bifidobacteriales Gut flora bacteria