The intestine of an adult contains approximately 100 trilion bacteria or more than 400 different species which equal to 1-1.5 kg. Healthy microflora can be supported by prebiotics and probiotics. Just like human, friendly bacteria need food to grow. Prebiotics are foods for these probiotics. Unlike probiotics, which are living microorganisms, prebiotics are indigestible carbohydrates that selectively stimulate the growth and activity of friendly bacterial in the colon, that can improve the health of the body. The substrates include foods that contain dietary fiber and fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) that nourish beneficial gut microbiota. FOS is the current leader in prebiotics. However, we cannot eat enough of prebiotics in a normal diet to provide a significant prebiotics effect, which is why we will need to take a supplement. From the biotechnological discovery today, fructo-oligosaccharides (IMO) is invented. IMO is the oligosaccharide which extract from chicory.

The nutritional properties of IMO Oligo :

1. Unique, soluble dietary fiber
IMO Oligo, originally imported from Belgium, Europe is soluble dietary fibers from chicory that pass through the stomach and small intestine without being altered until reaching the large intestine. There the colonic microflora ferment them. IMO oligo increases the stool weight that reported to increase the stool frequency and relief of constipation. Their effect in the colon could reduce the risk for disease.

2. Low calorific value (1-1.5 kcal/g)
IMO oligo is not digested in the upper intestinal tract. The only small quantity of energy provided by IMO oligo is provided by bacterial fermentation in the large intestine. This make IMO oligo is used as part of a balanced diet to help achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Besides that, these soluble fibers can be used in a wide variety of foodstuffs aimed at weight control. IMO oligo contributes to reduce the caloric content in foodstuffs by exactly restoring the properties that make food nice to eat.

3. Prebiotic-Bifidus promoter
IMO oligo is fermented by the intestinal microflora, with formation of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) These SCFA's create a low-pH environment in the large intestine, which help to protect against colon cancer and restricts the growth of disease-causing bacteria. IMO oligo are highly effective prebiotic ingredients. They are specifically available to friendly bacteria like bifidobacteria. Bifidobacteria helps to improve the constipation and diarrhea, produce vitamins B group, inhibit the growth of potential pathogens and modulate the immune system by increasing immune response in inflammation and reducing immune response in case of allergy. IMO oligo is prebiotic ingredients at a daily consumption of 8g/day. The health of the large intestine is generated almost exclusively by oligosaccharide. Oligosaccharides help keep the stomach and bowels.

4. Helps to improve the bio-availability of minerals
Osteoporosis affects a lot of people around the world. This makes the role of calcium, calcium intake and absorption become important. Magnesium and Zinc are also influence skeletal development. Recently, reports indicate that calcium and magnesium are absorbed from the large intestine. IMO oligo enhance mineral absorption. Studies confirm a positive effect of oligosaccharide on calcium absorption at a daily consumption 8 g/day. Short chain fatty acids, formed upon fermentation of oligosaccharide may directly stimulate calcium absorption in the large intestine.

5. Sugar and fat replacement
IMO oligo is not break down into simple sugar (monosaccharides) by normal digestion. Besides that, IMO oligo has a very low Glycemic Index (GI). So, it does not elevate blood sugar levels, hence, helping diabetics regulate blood sugar levels. IMO oligo also suitable for many people who are on restricted diets. IMO oligo contains one-third to one-fourth the food energy of sugar or other carbohydrates and one-sixth to one-ninth the food energy of fat. IMO oligo is used as a sugar and fat replacer.

IMO Oligo suitable for everybody, especially people with:

• High blood pressure or high cholesterol
• Diabetic
• Constipation
• Stressful lifestyle
• Under antibiotic or radiotherapy
• Regular drinker and smoker.

Question & Answer

1. Are IMO Oligo suitable for diabetics?
Yes. They are suitable for use in diabetic diets. The inability of the human enzyme system to hydrolyse these oligosaccharides, explains why IMO oligo increase neither the glucose, nor the insulin level of blood.

2. What is the side effects of taking IMO Oligo?
In the correct dosage, prebiotic usually cause very few side effects. Prebiotic is therefore also suitable in the treatment of children in low doses. Oligosaccharide containing foods can be rather gassy, particularly for those unaccustomed to oligosaccharide, and these foods should be consumed in moderation at first. However, given some time, most people can adapt to consuming fairly high levels of IMO oligo without side effects.

3. How to keep the prebiotic in an active condition to keep my gut healthy?
With IMO oligo, we can specifically target those strains of micro-organism that keep the gut healthy. Even better, there is no 'live' component - so there is no concern about how to keep the active ingredient, which is usually a sugar derived from plants, alive.

4. I am taking probiotic now. Am I still need to take prebiotic?
It is better to take probiotic and prebiotic together. The combination of probiotic and prebiotic (IMO oligo) is called synbiotic. Prebiotic are the non-digestible food products that stimulate and help the growth of probiotic. Prebiotic promotes the proliferation of the friendly bacteria in the gut as well as probiotic consumed from external source.

5. Can pregnant women take IMO?
Yes, they must take more precautions on their gut health. During pregnancy, it is necessary to make sure that BIFIDUS and friendly bacteria are at their fittest condition to fight off pathogens. A healthy pregnant woman will have large numbers of friendly bacteria (especially Lactobacillus acidophillus) in the vagina, which ensures the baby to be borned is safe without contamination from harmful pathogen.