The Correlation and Intervention of Intestinal Flora and Frailty in the Elderly

The Correlation and Intervention of Intestinal Flora and Frailty in the Elderly

The study aim to evaluate the improvement and correlation of soluble dietary fiber (prebiotics) in the frailty of elderly people by a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial.

100 healthy controls, 100 pre-frailty and 100 frailty elderly will be included. the healthy controls will be received no intervention. The pre-frailty will be randomized at a 1：1 ratio to receive prebiotics (inulin) or placebo (maltodextrin) . The degree of improvements and correlation in frailty will be evaluated three months later.Similarly,the frailty also will be randomized at a 1：1 ratio to receive prebiotics (inulin) or placebo (maltodextrin). The degree of improvements and correlation in frailty will be evaluated three months later.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age ≥65 years;
• Can get up from a chair and walk 6 meters
• Clearly consciousness, able to read or use words to express and communicate without difficulty
• Agree and accept the study plan

Exclusion Criteria:

• Acute and chronic inflammatory disease of the intestine within 3 months
• Use of antibiotics, probiotics, prebiotics or synthetics, laxatives or diarrhea medications, proton pump inhibitors or gastric motility drugs within 1 month
• Dementia
• mental illness or blindness
• acute infection
• cancer