Revisiting dietary effects on the gut microbiota and their implications in health and disease

Abstract

The interaction between the gut microbiota and its mammalian host is influenced by diet. The host can absorb small metabolites produced by the microbiota, which can alter a range of physiological processes. Several types of gut microbes are linked to immunological and metabolic illnesses, as well as the host's overall health. Bacteroides, Clostridium, and Bifidobacterium are frequently found among these gut flora. We look at how the human intestinal microbiome is influenced by nutrition obtained from plant or animal based diet and how this can affect health and disease. Anaerobic bacteria in the colon produce short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) as the principal metabolic products of fermentation. As possible mediators, these fatty acids have been connected to the gut microbiota's influence on intestinal immune function. They've also been implicated in the treatment of inflammatory disorders such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. To this end, the Mediterranean diet (MD), as compared to a westernized diet, has more dietary fibre, leading to the generation of SCFAs. MD thus, has a favourable impact on the immune system and gut bacteria. As a result, the Mediterranean diet is encouraged not only as a potential aid in the treatment of numerous ailments, but also as a means of promoting global health.