Galactooligosaccharides for preventing injury and/or promoting healing of the gastrointestinal tract

Abstract

Disclosed are nutritional compositions including galactooligosaccharides that can be administered to individuals including preterm infants, infants, toddlers, children, and adults for preventing injury and/or improving the healing of the gastrointestinal tract. Additional suitable methods of using the nutritional compositions including the galactooligosaccharides are also disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of enhancing healing of the gastrointestinal tract of an individual, the method comprising:
 identifying an individual having an injured gastrointestinal tract; and   administering to the individual a nutritional composition comprising a galactooligosaccharide.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the gastrointestinal tract is injured as the result of at least one of antibiotic therapy, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, surgery, enteric infection, inflammatory bowel disease, colitis, bowel obstruction, and chronic stress. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the nutritional composition further comprises at least one probiotic. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the nutritional composition is selected from the group consisting of a human milk fortifier, an infant formula, a pediatric formula, a follow on formula, and an adult nutritional composition. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the nutritional composition comprises galactooligosaccharide in a concentration of from about 8 kg/1000 kg nutritional composition to about 160 kg/1000 kg nutritional composition. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the nutritional composition comprises galactooligosaccharide in a concentration of from about 164 kg/18,000 pounds nutritional composition to about 818 kg/18,000 pounds nutritional composition. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the nutritional composition further comprises at least one human milk oligosaccharide. 
     
     
         8 . A method of reducing the incidence of intestinal mucosa injury, the method comprising:
 identifying an individual susceptible to an intestinal mucosa injury; and   administering to the individual a nutritional composition comprising a galactooligosaccharide.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the nutritional composition further comprises at least one probiotic. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the nutritional composition is selected from the group consisting of a human milk fortifier, an infant formula, a pediatric formula, a follow on formula, and an adult nutritional composition. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the nutritional composition comprises galactooligosaccharide in a concentration of from about 8 kg/1000 kg nutritional composition to about 160 kg/1000 kg nutritional composition. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the nutritional composition comprises galactooligosaccharide in a concentration of from about 164 kg/18,000 pounds nutritional composition to about 818 kg/18,000 pounds nutritional composition. 
     
     
         13 . A method of improving the barrier function in the gastrointestinal tract of an individual; the method comprising:
 identifying an individual in need of an increased barrier function of the gastrointestinal tract; and   administering to the individual a nutritional composition comprising a galactooligosaccharide.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the nutritional composition further comprises at least one probiotic. 
     
     
         15 . A method of reducing the incidence of inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract of an individual, the method comprising:
 identifying an individual susceptible to inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract; and   administering to the individual a nutritional composition comprising a galactooligosaccharide.