Researchers observe how protein-rich diet affects gut microbiome

A new study sheds light on the consequences high protein diets in that gut microbiome And health All in all. Despite increased protein intake in Western diets, especially among athletes and obese people, fate of undigested proteins and its impact on human health remains largely unknown.

Foods that provide an adequate source of protein: fish, meat, eggs and dairy products, as well as legumes and fruits. But not all proteins are the same; in the diet, you can distinguish between proteins of plant and animal origin. AND Eating too much protein can harm your bodyor.

Work under the direction of Samson Adejumo in the Marcella laboratory University of Illinois at Chicago (USA), with support from the UIC Hampton-Marcell Laboratory Seed Fund, is investigating how excess undigested protein in the colon can be fermented to produce beneficial metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) or lead to the production of harmful metabolites such as ammonia and sulfides. which are associated with gastrointestinal disorders and other health problems.

The research team conducted a series of experiments on mice and found that go on a high protein diet Led to significant weight lossreduction of body fat and immediate change in the gut microbiome.

The study also compared different protein diets to examine the effects of individual amino acids on the composition and activity of the gut microbiome. Specifically, mice that consumed proteins rich in aromatic amino acids experienced the greatest loss of weight and fat mass compared to mice that were fed a standard diet rich in protein and branched-chain amino acids.

“These results provide an important basis for understanding howprotein diets influence the gut microbiome and open the door to future research into the role of diet in maintaining a healthy gut and overall health,” said Samson Adejumo, a doctoral student in biology at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

To further explore the effects of amino acids in a high-protein diet on gut bacteria, the team conducted a four-week experiment on 16 mice. Mice were initially fed a standard diet for 2 weeks and then fed a diet rich in isotrogenic protein and enriched with branched-chain amino acids or aromatic amino acids for the next 2 weeks.

Daily fecal samples and weekly body composition measurements were collected to monitor changes in fat and lean mass. DNA was extracted from feces and sequenced to analyze microbial composition and dynamics during the study period.

Comparison microbial composition Among the 4 protein groups, significantly different numbers and composition of microbial taxa were identified after protein enrichment. Using machine learning techniques, the researchers predicted dietary protein based on gut microbial taxa with 97% accuracy, confirming the relationship between diet and changes in the microbiome.

Overall genres intestinal bacteria They responded differently to changes in diet: from regular carbohydrate diets to protein diets and, most importantly, to different groups of amino acids. The most significant changes occurred in the group receiving branched chain amino acids.

Although it is too early to say that the protein diet caused all of the observed changes in body composition and gut bacteria, the consistent pattern of changes clearly indicates association between protein diet and changes in the gut microbiome.