Abstract
The gut microbiota adapts to age-related changes in host physiology but is also affected by environmental stimuli, like diet. As a source of both pre- and probiotics, dairy and fermented foods modulate the gut microbiota composition, which makes them interesting food groups to use for the investigation of interactions between diet and ageing. Here we present the effects of excluding dairy products and limiting fermented food consumption for 19 days on gut microbiota composition and circulating metabolites of 28 healthy, young (YA) and older (OA) adult men. The intervention affected gut microbial composition in both groups, with significant increases in Akkermansia muciniphila and decreases in bacteria of the Clostridiales order. Lower fasting levels of glucose and insulin, as well as dairy-associated metabolites like lactose and pentadecanoic acid, were observed after the intervention, with no effect of age. The intervention also decreased HDL and LDL cholesterol levels. Dairy fat intake was positively associated with the HDL cholesterol changes but not with the LDL/HDL ratio. In conclusion, restricting the intake of dairy and fermented foods in men modified their gut microbiota and blood metabolites, while the impact of the dietary restrictions on these outcomes was more marked than the effect of age.
Highlights
The last two decades have revealed a close relationship between the gut microbiota and human health
Intakes of nine non-dairy food subgroups out of 40 consumed by the subjects were significantly different between the YA group compared to OA group: intakes of bread products, fruits, soups, sugars and honey, vegetable fats and condiments were higher in the OA group compared to the YA group whereas pasta, rice and cereals, red meat, and soft drink intakes were higher in the YA group (Table 1)
A lower contribution of protein intake to total energy intake was observed in the OA compared to the YA group, both groups presented a balanced distribution of carbohydrate, protein, and fat intakes during the OB phase based on the national reference intakes in France [62]
Summary
The last two decades have revealed a close relationship between the gut microbiota and human health. Diet is a modifiable modulating factor of the gut microbiota composition with numerous studies having demonstrated the impact of different dietary patterns including fibre-rich diets [3], Western diet [4], and Mediterranean diet [5], on the gut microbiota composition. These changes were accompanied by biological changes in the host that reflect in part the metabolic processing of the ingested nutrients by microorganisms in the gut. Often dietary modulations of the gut microbiota have been linked to the presence of pre- or probiotics that are widely present in the diet, in particular in fermented foods including yogurt, bread, pickles, and kimchi [6,7]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
