Abstract
The positive effects of various probiotic foods on weight control, intestinal microbiota, and biochemical markers have been proven by various studies. However, there is no study on such effects of tarhana and kefir + tarhana consumption, a type of Turkish food rich in Lactobacillus spp., Pediococcus pentosaceus, Pediococcus acidilactici, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This study aimed to determine the changes caused by regular consumption of kefir and/or tarhana for 6 months on weight gain, intestinal microbiota, and biochemical parameters in Wistar albino rats with obese microbiota. Therefore, thirty-five rats were fed with five different methods of oral gavage (n = 7 per group): Normal Diet Control (NDC), High Fat Diet Control (HFDC), 6 mL/kg Kefir + High Fat Diet (Kefir + HFD), 0.2 g/kg Tarhana + High Fat Diet (Tarhana + HFD), and 6 mL/kg Kefir + 0.2 g/kg Tarhana + High Fat Diet (Kefir + Tarhana + HFD). Normality tests were evaluated using the One-Sample Kolmogorov test and Histogram graph. Multiple group comparisons were performed using one-way ANOVA and Tukey's HSD post hoc test, and the statistical significances were indicated by different letters (p < 0.05). Comparisons by gender were performed using the independent samples t-test. Kefir consumption was more effective on decreasing weight gain. Obese microbiota significantly increased blood glucose level and decreased red blood cell (RBC), hematocrit (HCT), hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), platelets (PLT), and white blood cells. RBC and HCT values in Kefir + HFD, PLT value in Tarhana + HFD, and mean corpuscular volume (MCV), MCH, and MCHC values in Kefir + Tarhana + HFD were higher than those of other groups (p < 0.05). Kefir + tarhana consumption significantly showed an increase in blood glucose. Kefir and/or tarhana induced the abundance of Lactobacillus and blocked the abundances of total coliform bacteria and Escherichia coli (p < 0.05). We demonstrated that kefir was effective in decreasing weight gain, and all dietary interventions induced positive alterations on biochemical findings and intestinal microbiota.
Highlights
One hundred trillion microorganisms live in the microbiota [1]
It was determined that fermented products consumed for 6 months in Wistar albino rats with obese microbiota caused weight loss and produced positive changes in biochemical findings and intestinal microbiota
It was determined that kefir and/or tarhana decreased weight gain and blood glucose and positively affected hematological parameters and intestinal microbiota
Summary
One hundred trillion microorganisms live in the microbiota [1]. Ninety percent of human intestinal microbiota consist of Firmicutes, Prevotella genera, Bacteroidetes spp., including Clostridium, Enterococcus, Lactobacillus, and Ruminococcus [2].e relationship between adiposity and microbiota in the regulation of energy homeostasis was first demonstrated by Gordon et al, and Backhed et al ey found that the weight and adipose tissue of mice devoid of all microorganisms increased after microbial colonization [3, 4]. is change includes an increase in the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio, a change in bacterial composition, and a decrease in densityInternational Journal of Clinical Practice [5, 6]. One hundred trillion microorganisms live in the microbiota [1]. Ninety percent of human intestinal microbiota consist of Firmicutes, Prevotella genera, Bacteroidetes spp., including Clostridium, Enterococcus, Lactobacillus, and Ruminococcus [2]. E relationship between adiposity and microbiota in the regulation of energy homeostasis was first demonstrated by Gordon et al, and Backhed et al ey found that the weight and adipose tissue of mice devoid of all microorganisms increased after microbial colonization [3, 4]. Is change includes an increase in the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio, a change in bacterial composition, and a decrease in density. It has been determined that the microbiota composition changes in obese depending on the diet [5–7]. One of these dietary components is probiotics. Red blood cells (RBC), as they oxygenate body tissue, provide necessary blood pressure, create viscosity, and transfer carbon dioxide to lungs; white blood cells (WBC), as they have an effect on the immune system; and platelets (PLT), as their effect may change from protective to harmful, have to be in certain levels [8, 9]
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