Maintaining a diverse and stable gut microbiota are key factors in a healthy gut. GOS supports the abundance of gut bifidogenic bacteria and has been shown in multiple studies that it impacts the gut microbiota in different age groups [2,5,6,9]. Consuming prebiotics like galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) that help support healthy microbiota is just one way of supporting a healthy gut which contributes to our overall wellness.

Diets including pro and prebiotics along with a healthy lifestyle and exercise can help maintain some immune biomarkers in the elderly population [17]. GOS, a prebiotic, has been shown to positively affect gut microbiota and help support the immune system in elderly adults aged 65 to 80 years old; evidenced by an improvement in NK cell activity which plays a crucial role in the human innate immune system [5,9-10].

Infants fed formula enriched with GOS have been shown to have increased bifidobacterial levels compared to those that received formula without GOS [1-4]. Bifidobacterium species are among the first to colonize the intestine and play an essential role in the maturation of the immune system and use of dietary components in infants [11].

Many studies support the effect of GOS on the stools of infants and have shown it leads to softer and more frequent stools. This effect is found to be closer to the consistency and frequency of breastfed infants compared to infants fed with formula without GOS [2,12-16].