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Pigs were fed a freeze-dried probiotic (Bifidobacterium animalis CSCC 1941) plus a high-amylose maize starch (HAMS) and a fructooligosaccharide (FOS) separately or together. Fecal output and total and individual major short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) concentrations and excretion were higher and pH waslower with HAMS than with FOS relative to when they were fed a low-amylosemaize starch (LAMS;control). Fecal bifidobacteria numbers and total excretion were equally higher during feeding of FOS or HAMS and highest with HAMS ? FOS. When probiotic supplementation was stopped, bifidobacterianumbers declined rapidly when they were fed LAMS, more slowly with FOS or HAMS, and weremaintained with HAMS ? FOS. The data confirm that both HAMS and FOS are prebiotics and suggest that they act through different mechanisms and that they are most effective in combination. However only HAMS raises fecal SCFA.

Elite athletes require a greater dietary protein intake than recreationally active people to maintain optimal muscular function. The timing of protein ingestion relative to exercise is critical to maximizing its physiological impact on skeletal muscles. Sports protein supplements provide a convenient means of supplying athletes with an adequate and timely source of quality dietary protein. There is now strong evidence that not all dietary proteins are equipotent in their effects on various aspects of athletic performance and specific protein isolates can provide benefits to athletes beyond simple supply of nutritional amino acids. Thus, there is an opportunity to develop new functional protein supplements to maximize athletic performance. This paper outlines the clinical evidence for the benefits of dairy proteins in sports performance and describes the development of new dairy protein supplements to build muscle strength, and to expedite recovery of strength following muscle-damaging eccentric exercise.