Gut microbial metabolism of bile acids modifies the effect of Mediterranean diet interventions on cardiometabolic risk in a randomized controlled trial.

Bile acids (BAs) undergo extensive microbial metabolism in the gut and exert hormone-like functions on physiological processes underlying metabolic risk. However, the extent to which gut BA profiles predict cardiometabolic risk and explain individual responses to dietary interventions in humans is still unclear. In the DIRECT-PLUS Trial, we conducted a multi-omics analysis of 284 participants randomized into three groups: healthy dietary guidelines and two Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) groups.

Microbially mediated phenolic catabolites exert differential genoprotective activities in normal and adenocarcinoma cell lines.

Age-associated decline of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) activity and DNA repair efficiency leads to the accumulation of DNA damage and increased risk of cancer. Understanding the mechanisms behind increased levels of damaged DNA is crucial for developing interventions to mitigate age-related cancer risk. Associated with various health benefits, (poly)phenols and their microbially mediated phenolic catabolites represent a potential means to reduce DNA damage.

Microbial and metabolic characterization of organic artisanal sauerkraut fermentation and study of gut health-promoting properties of sauerkraut brine.

Sauerkraut is a traditionally fermented cabbage, and recent evidence suggests that it has beneficial properties for human health. In this work, a multi-disciplinary approach was employed to characterize the fermentation process and gut health-promoting properties of locally produced, organic sauerkraut from two distinct producers, SK1 and SK2. 16S rRNA metataxonomics showed that bacterial diversity gradually decreased as fermentation progressed.

The effect of high-polyphenol Mediterranean diet on visceral adiposity: the DIRECT PLUS randomized controlled trial.

Background: Mediterranean (MED) diet is a rich source of polyphenols, which benefit adiposity by several mechanisms. We explored the effect of the green-MED diet, twice fortified in dietary polyphenols and lower in red/processed meat, on visceral adipose tissue (VAT).

Methods: In the 18-month Dietary Intervention Randomized Controlled Trial PoLyphenols UnproceSsed (DIRECT-PLUS) weight-loss trial, 294 participants were randomized to (A) healthy dietary guidelines (HDG), (B) MED, or (C) green-MED diets, all combined with physical activity.

Sourdough performances of the golden cereal Tritordeum: Dynamics of microbial ecology, biochemical and nutritional features.

The novel cereal 'Tritordeum' was employed in sourdough fermentation for bread making using a traditional backslopping procedure over 10 days. Culture-dependent and culture-independent approaches were used to characterize microbial ecology during sourdough preparation and propagation. Sourdough reached the highest microbial diversity after three days of propagation.

Impact of wheat aleurone on biomarkers of cardiovascular disease, gut microbiota and metabolites in adults with high body mass index: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial.

Purpose: Aleurone is a cereal bran fraction containing a variety of beneficial nutrients including polyphenols, fibers, minerals and vitamins. Animal and human studies support the beneficial role of aleurone consumption in reducing cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Gut microbiota fiber fermentation, polyphenol metabolism and betaine/choline metabolism may in part contribute to the physiological effects of aleurone.

The Prebiotic Effects of Oats on Blood Lipids, Gut Microbiota, and Short-Chain Fatty Acids in Mildly Hypercholesterolemic Subjects Compared With Rice: A Randomized, Controlled Trial.

Phytochemicals derived from oats are reported to possess a beneficial effect on modulating dyslipidemia, specifically on lowering total and LDL cholesterol. However, deeper insights into its mechanism remain unclear. In this randomized controlled study, we assigned 210 mildly hypercholesterolemic subjects from three study centers across China (Beijing, Nanjing, and Shanghai) to consume 80 g of oats or rice daily for 45 days.

Low-Molecular-Weight Seaweed-Derived Polysaccharides Lead to Increased Faecal Bulk but Do Not Alter Human Gut Health Markers.

Seaweeds are potentially sustainable crops and are receiving significant interest because of their rich bioactive compound content; including fatty acids, polyphenols, carotenoids, and complex polysaccharides. However, there is little information on the in vivo effects on gut health of the polysaccharides and their low-molecular-weight derivatives. Herein, we describe the first investigation into the prebiotic potential of low-molecular-weight polysaccharides (LMWPs) derived from alginate and agar in order to validate their in vivo efficacy.

Ex Vivo Fecal Fermentation of Human Ileal Fluid Collected After Wild Strawberry Consumption Modulates Human Microbiome Community Structure and Metabolic Output and Protects Against DNA Damage in Colonic Epithelial Cells.

Scope: Wild strawberries (Fragaria vesca) are richer in (poly)phenols than common commercial strawberry varieties, e.g., Fragaria × ananassa.

Low-Dose Lactulose as a Prebiotic for Improved Gut Health and Enhanced Mineral Absorption.

Although medium and high doses of lactulose are used routinely for the treatment of constipation and hepatic encephalopathy, respectively, a wealth of evidence demonstrates that, at low doses, lactulose can also be used as a prebiotic to stimulate the growth of health-promoting bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract. Indeed, multiple preclinical and clinical studies have shown that low doses of lactulose enhance the proliferation of health-promoting gut bacteria (e.g.

Processed Animal Proteins from Insect and Poultry By-Products in a Fish Meal-Free Diet for Rainbow Trout: Impact on Intestinal Microbiota and Inflammatory Markers.

Sustainability of aquaculture is tied to the origin of feed ingredients. In search of sustainable fish meal-free formulations for rainbow trout, we evaluated the effect of meal (H) and poultry by-product meal (P), singly (10, 30, and 60% of either H or P) or in combination (10% H + 50% P, H10P50), as partial replacement of vegetable protein (VM) on gut microbiota (GM), inflammatory, and immune biomarkers. Fish fed the mixture H10P50 had the best growth performance.

Ex vivo fecal fermentation of human ileal fluid collected after raspberry consumption modifies (poly)phenolics and modulates genoprotective effects in colonic epithelial cells.

Diets rich in fruit and vegetables are associated with a decreased incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) due, in part, to the bioactive (poly)phenolic components and their microbiota-mediated metabolites. This study investigated how such compounds, derived from ingested raspberries in the gastrointestinal tract, may exert protective effects by reducing DNA damage. Ileal fluids collected pre- and post-consumption of 300 g of raspberries by ileostomists (n = 11) were subjected to 24 h ex vivo fermentation with fecal inoculum to simulate interaction with colonic microbiota.

Metformin and Dipeptidyl Peptidase-4 Inhibitor Differentially Modulate the Intestinal Microbiota and Plasma Metabolome of Metabolically Dysfunctional Mice.

Objectives: Recent evidence indicates that gut microbiota is altered considerably by a variety of commonly prescribed medications. This study assessed the impact of 2 antidiabetic therapeutics on gut microbiota and markers of cardiometabolic disease in metabolically dysfunctional mice.

Methods: C57BL/6 mice were fed a high-fat diet for 24 weeks while receiving 1 of 2 antidiabetic therapeutics-metformin or dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitor, PKF-275-055-for the final 12 weeks.

Digestion and Colonic Fermentation of Raw and Cooked Opuntia ficus-indica Cladodes Impacts Bioaccessibility and Bioactivity.

The bioactivity of (poly)phenols from a food is an interplay between the cooking methods applied and the interaction of the food with the gastrointestinal tract. The (poly)phenolic profile and biological activity of raw and cooked cactus ( Opuntia ficus-indica Mill.) cladodes following in vitro digestion and colonic fermentation were evaluated.

Evaluation of autochthonous lactic acid bacteria as starter and non-starter cultures for the production of Traditional Mountain cheese.

Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis 68, Streptococcus thermophilus 93 and Lactobacillus rhamnosus BT68, previously isolated from Traditional Mountain (TM) cheese, were tested for the production of four experimental mountain cheeses, with the aim to assess their effectiveness in leading the TM-cheese-making process. Lactococcus lactis subsp.

Host: Microbiome co-metabolic processing of dietary polyphenols - An acute, single blinded, cross-over study with different doses of apple polyphenols in healthy subjects.

Apples are one of the most commonly consumed fruits and their high polyphenol content is considered one of the most important determinants of their health-promoting activities. Here we studied the nutrikinetics of apple polyphenols by UHPLC-HRMS metabolite fingerprinting, comparing bioavailability when consumed in a natural or a polyphenol-enriched cloudy apple juice. Twelve men and women participated in an acute single blind controlled crossover study in which they consumed 250 mL of cloudy apple juice (CAJ), Crispy Pink apple variety, or 250 mL of the same juice enriched with 750 mg of an apple polyphenol extract (PAJ).

Connecting the immune system, systemic chronic inflammation and the gut microbiome: The role of sex.

Unresolved low grade systemic inflammation represents the underlying pathological mechanism driving immune and metabolic pathways involved in autoimmune diseases (AID). Mechanistic studies in animal models of AID and observational studies in patients have found alterations in gut microbiota communities and their metabolites, suggesting a microbial contribution to the onset or progression of AID. The gut microbiota and its metabolites have been shown to influence immune functions and immune homeostasis both within the gut and systematically.

Age-Related Changes in the Natural Killer Cell Response to Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Are Not Influenced by a Synbiotic: a Randomised Controlled Trial.

Unlabelled: Natural killer (NK) cells are an important component of the immune response to influenza infection, but are subject to alteration during aging, which may play a role in impaired response to infection and vaccination in older people. Enhancement of NK cell activity could, therefore, present a means to improve the immune response to vaccination in older subjects, and pre- and probiotics offer an opportunity to modulate antiviral defenses alteration of the gut microbiota. This study investigated the effect of a novel probiotic, CCUG 52486, combined with a prebiotic, gluco-oligosaccharide ( + Gl-OS), on the NK cell response to seasonal influenza vaccination in young and older subjects in a double-blind, randomized controlled trial.

Gut : liver : brain axis: the microbial challenge in the hepatic encephalopathy.

Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a debilitating neuropsychiatric condition often associated with acute liver failure or cirrhosis. Advanced liver diseases are characterized by a leaky gut and systemic inflammation. There is strong evidence that the pathogenesis of HE is linked to a dysbiotic gut microbiota and to harmful microbial by-products, such as ammonia, indoles, oxindoles and endotoxins.

A Diet Low in FODMAPs Reduces Symptoms in Patients With Irritable Bowel Syndrome and A Probiotic Restores Bifidobacterium Species: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background & Aims: Dietary restriction of fermentable carbohydrates (a low FODMAP diet) has been reported to reduce symptoms in some patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). We performed a randomized, placebo-controlled study to determine its effects on symptoms and the fecal microbiota in patients with IBS.

Methods: We performed a 2×2 factorial trial of 104 patients with IBS (18-65 years old), based on the Rome III criteria, at 2 hospitals in the United Kingdom.

Effects of Commercial Apple Varieties on Human Gut Microbiota Composition and Metabolic Output Using an In Vitro Colonic Model.

Apples are a rich source of polyphenols and fiber. A major proportion of apple polyphenols escape absorption in the small intestine and together with non-digestible polysaccharides reach the colon, where they can serve as substrates for bacterial fermentation. Animal studies suggest a synergistic interaction between apple polyphenols and the soluble fiber pectin; however, the effects of whole apples on human gut microbiota are less extensively studied.