Abstract
Recent studies report that microbiota in the human intestine play an important role in host health and that both long- and short-term diets influence gut microbiota. These findings have fueled interest in the potential of food to promote health by shaping the intestinal microbiota. Despite the fact that large populations in Asia consume high quantities of carbohydrates, such diets have been ignored in comparison to the attention received by Western diets containing high quantities of fat and animal protein. We gathered data that suggest an association between imbalanced high-carbohydrate intake and gut microbiota and host health. In this review, we identify not only the effect of total carbohydrates on the intestinal microbiota specifically and the health of their hosts in general, but also how specific types of carbohydrates influence both factors.
Highlights
Microorganisms such as bacteria, protozoa, viruses, and fungi constitute more than ten times the number of somatic cells in the human body [1]
Type 2 diabetes, and other metabolic disorders associated with high glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL) diets result in brain damage caused by glycation, which is associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) [54]
A high intake of polished white rice does not appear to cause deleterious metabolic effects in lean and physically active individuals such as farmers, while it has become a significant risk factor for diabetes in urbanized Asian populations. These results indicated that a carbohydrate-rich diet induces alterations in the gut microbiota, which is strongly associated with obesity and insulin resistance in an animal study [56]
Summary
Microorganisms such as bacteria, protozoa, viruses, and fungi constitute more than ten times the number of somatic cells in the human body [1]. Intestinal bacteria, 60% of which belong to the phyla Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes, play a variety of roles in human health [2,3] They ferment and convert indigestible food such as fiber to available forms, produce bioactive substances, and control a wide range of biological mechanisms such as those underlying the immune system, glucose and energy homeostasis, and anti-inflammatory processes [4,5,6,7]. Studies have demonstrated that changes in diet can cause an acute yet temporary alteration of gut microbiota composition within 24 h [17] Taken together, these observations suggest that human intestinal microbiota can be manipulated by alterations in diet to treat and prevent metabolic syndrome. This review will explore how diets high in carbohydrates affect metabolic syndrome by shaping the gut microbiota
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