Nutritional composition for treating an immune condition

Abstract

A nutritional composition is described for prevention or treatment of an immune condition. The composition includes at least vitamin E, vitamin C, vitamin B6, folic acid, vitamin B12, copper, zinc, selenium, fructo-oligosaccharides and/or gum acacia, a probiotic lactic acid bacterium. For example, in an embodiment it comprises per 300 g: 150 IU Vitamin E, 120 mg Vitamin C, 2 mg Vitamin B6, 400 ug Folic acid, 3.8 ug Vitamin B12, 1.5 mg Copper, 15 mg Zinc, 100 ug Selenium, 3 g Fructo-oligosaccharides and/or gum acacia, 10E10 cfu ST11 lactobacillus. Also disclosed are a method for making the nutritional composition, a method for manufacturing a functional food or medicament; and a method of prevention or treatment of an immune condition by administering an effective amount of the composition, functional food or medicament.

1 . A nutritional composition comprising a source of protein, a source of carbohydrate, a source of fat, a probiotic lactic acid bacterium and additionally a fructo-oligosaccharide or inulin, wherein the protein, carbohydrate and fat sources provide energy to a subject who consumes the composition, with the protein source providing about 5% to 55% of the energy, the carbohydrates source providing about 40% to 80% of the energy and the fat source providing about 5% to 55% of the energy, wherein the total amount of energy provided by the protein, carbohydrate and fat sources is 100%, and the probiotic lactic acid bacterium is present in an amount sufficient to help treat an immune condition of the subject.  
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the probiotic lactic acid bacterium comprises one or more probiotic lactic acid bacterium selected from the group consisting of paracasei and johnsonii bacteria, and is present in an amount of about 10E8 to 10E12 cfu.  
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 2  wherein the lactic acid bacterium is selected from the group consisting of ST11 (deposited under the number NCCMI-2116) and La1 (deposited under the number NCCMI-1225).  
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 1  which further comprises one or more of gum acacia, dietary fiber, a flavor enhancer, nutrients or minerals.  
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 4  wherein nutrients or minerals selected from the group consisting of vitamin E, vitamin C, vitamin B6, folic acid, vitamin B12, copper, zinc and selenium are present in the composition.  
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 5  wherein at least three of the recited nutrients or minerals are present in the composition.  
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 5  wherein one or more nutrients or minerals selected from the group consisting of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, niacin and vitamin D are also present in the composition.  
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 7  wherein at least three of the recited nutrients or minerals are present in the composition.  
     
     
         9 . The composition of  claim 1  which contains the fructo-oligosaccharide and gum acacia.  
     
     
         10 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, niacin and vitamin D are present in the composition.  
     
     
         11 . The composition of  claim 9  wherein the calcium is in the form of milk calcium or calcium derived from milk calcium.  
     
     
         12 . The composition of  claim 4  wherein the nutrients or minerals, if present, are included in the following masses or amounts per 300 g of the composition: 
 Vitamin E: about 1 IU to about 400 IU,    Vitamin C: about 6 mg to about 300 mg,    Vitamin B6: about 0.17 mg to about 3 mg,    Folic acid: about 40 μg to about 800 μg,    Vitamin B12: about 0.24 mg to about 5 mg,    Copper: about 0.3 mg to about 3 mg,    Zinc: about 1.5 mg to about 15 mg,    Selenium: about 7 μg to about 300 μg,    Fructo-oligosaccharides and/or gum acacia: about 4 g to about 50 g,    Lactic acid bacteria: about 10E8 to about 10E12 cfu.    
     
     
         13 . The composition of  claim 4  wherein the nutrients or minerals, if present, are included in the following masses or amounts per 300 g of the composition: 
 calcium: about 100 mg to about 300 mg,    phosphorus: about 50 mg to about 615 mg,    magnesium: about 110 mg to about 210 mg,    vitamin A: about 1000 IU to about 1500IU),    vitamin D: about 50 IU to about 150 IU,    vitamin E: about 5.0 IU to about 150 IU,    vitamin C: about 30 mg to about 500 mg,    vitamin B1: about 0.1 mg to about 2 mg,    vitamin B2: about 0.1 mg to about 0.6 mg,    niacin: about 1.5 mg to about 7.2 mg,    vitamin B6: about 1.0 mg to about 3.0 mg,    folic acid: about 200 μg to about 600 μg,    vitamin B12: about 1.5 μg to about 4.5 μg,    iron: about 2.0 mg to about 5 mg,    zinc: about 10 mg to about 20 mg.    
     
     
         14 . A method of producing the composition of  claim 1  which comprises blending the required nutrients together in the required amounts to form the composition.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  which further comprises extruding the blended mixture or spray drying the mixture to a dry solid.  
     
     
         16 . The composition produced by the method of  claim 15 .  
     
     
         17 . A method of manufacturing a functional food or a medicament for the prevention or treatment of an immune condition which comprises adding or incorporating an effective amount of the composition of  claim 1  into a food or medicament to form the functional food or medicament.  
     
     
         18 . The functional food or medicament produced by the method of  claim 16 .  
     
     
         19 . A method of prevention or treatment of an immune condition which comprises administering the functional food or medicament of  claim 18  to a subject in need of such treatment in an amount effective to treat such condition.  
     
     
         20 . A method of prevention or treatment of an immune condition which comprises administering the composition of  claim 16  to a subject in need of such treatment in an amount effective to treat such condition.  
     
     
         21 . A method of prevention or treatment of an immune condition which comprises administering the composition of  claim 1  to a subject in need of such treatment in an amount effective to treat such condition.