Ganoderma lucidum dietary fiber and lactobacillus fermentum CECT5716 alleviate constipation via regulation of gut barrier and microbiota.

The rising incidence of constipation, as well as the side effects of constipation medications, have prompted people to look for substances of natural origin to treat constipation. In this study, we investigated the effect of Ganoderma lucidum dietary fiber (GLDF) and Lactobacillus fermentum CECT5716 on ameliorating constipation induced by loperamide (LOP) and elucidated the underlying mechanism. The results showed that GLDF and L. fermentum CECT5716 alleviated constipation symptoms, evidenced by enhanced fecal water content, alleviated difficult defecation, and improved intestinal propulsion. The combination treatment also inhibited inflammatory factors in the colon, restored the impaired intestinal tight junction, and suppressed colonic aquaporin expression. Moreover, the GLDF and L. fermentum CECT5716 complex proficiently regulates gut microbiota while augmenting the generation of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs)-with acetic acid, propionic acid, and butyric acid as the primary elevated metabolites. Our findings suggest that GLDF and L. fermentum CECT5716 mitigated constipation in mice, highlighting their potential as a combined functional food.