The MD (Mediterranean diet) is recognized as one of the healthiest diets worldwide and is associated with the prevention of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. Dietary habits are considered one of the strongest modulators of gut microbiota, which seem to play a significant role in health status of the host. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate interactive associations between gut microbiota composition and habitual dietary intake in 360 Spanish adults from the Obekit cohort (normal weight, overweight, and obese participants). Dietary intake and adherence to the MD tests were administered and fecal samples were collected from each participant. Fecal 16S rRNA (ribosomal Ribonucleic Acid) gene sequencing was performed and checked against the dietary habits. MetagenomeSeq was the statistical tool applied to analyze data at the species taxonomic level. Results from this study identified several beneficial bacteria that were more abundant in the individuals with higher adherence to the MD. Bifidobacterium animalis was the species with the strongest association with the MD. Some SCFA (Short Chain Fatty Acids) -producing bacteria were also associated with MD. In conclusion, this study showed that MD, fiber, legumes, vegetable, fruit, and nut intake are associated with an increase in butyrate-producing taxa such as Roseburia faecis, Ruminococcus bromii, and Oscillospira (Flavonifractor) plautii.

This study examines the influence of intermittent exposure to cold, hypobaric hypoxia, and their combination, in gut microbiota and their metabolites in vivo , and explores their effects on the physiology of the host. Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to cold (4°C), hypobaric hypoxia (462 torr), or both simultaneously, 4 h/day for 21 days. Biometrical and hematological parameters were monitored. Gut bacterial subgroups were evaluated by qPCR and short-chain fatty acids were determined by gas chromatography in caecum and feces. Cold increased brown adipose tissue, Clostridiales subpopulation and the concentration of butyric and isovaleric acids in caecum. Hypobaric hypoxia increased hemoglobin, red and white cell counts and Enterobacteriales, and reduced body and adipose tissues weights and Lactobacilliales. Cold plus hypobaric hypoxia counteracted the hypoxia-induced weight loss as well as the increase in white blood cells, while reducing the Bacteroidetes:Firmicutes ratio and normalizing the populations of Enterobacteriales and Lactobacilliales. In conclusion, intermittent cold and hypobaric hypoxia exposures by themselves modified some of the main physiological variables in vivo , while their combination kept the rats nearer to their basal status. The reduction of the Bacteroidetes:Firmicutes ratio and balanced populations of Enterobacteriales and Lactobacilliales in the gut may contribute to this effect.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the influence of the red cabbage extracts on the bioaccessibility of their isothiocyanates, and their effect on the intestinal microbiota using a dynamic model of human digestion treated with the gut microbiome of obese adults. The elicitation of red cabbage plants with methyl jasmonate (MeJA) duplicated the content of glucosinolates (GSLs) in the plant organs used for elaborating the encapsulated formula. The use of plasma membrane vesicles, according to a proper methodology and technology, showed a high retention of sulforaphane (SFN) and indol-3-carbinol (I3C) over the course of the 14-day digestion study. The microbiome was scarcely affected by the treatments in terms of microbiota composition or the Bacteroidetes/Firmicutes ratio, but a 3 to 4-fold increase was observed in the production of butyric acid with the encapsulated extract treatment. Based on our pilot red cabbage extract study, the consumption of this extract, mainly encapsulated, may play a potential role in the management of obesity in adults.

The gut microbiota profile is determined by diet composition, and therefore this interaction is crucial for promoting specific bacterial growth and enhancing the health status. Red radish (Raphanus sativus L.) contains several secondary plant metabolites that can exert a protective effect on human health. Recent studies have shown that radish leaves have a higher content of major nutrients, minerals, and fiber than roots, and they have garnered attention as a healthy food or supplement. Therefore, the consumption of the whole plant should be considered, as its nutritional value may be of greater interest. The aim of this work is to evaluate the effects of glucosinolate (GSL)-enriched radish with elicitors on the intestinal microbiota and metabolic syndrome-related functionalities by using an in vitro dynamic gastrointestinal system and several cellular models developed to study the GSL impact on different health indicators such as blood pressure, cholesterol metabolism, insulin resistance, adipogenesis, and reactive oxygen species (ROS). The treatment with red radish had an influence on short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) production, especially on acetic and propionic acid and many butyrate-producing bacteria, suggesting that consumption of the entire red radish plant (leaves and roots) could modify the human gut microbiota profile toward a healthier one. The evaluation of the metabolic syndrome-related functionalities showed a significant decrease in the gene expression of endothelin, interleukin IL-6, and cholesterol transporter-associated biomarkers (ABCA1 and ABCG5), suggesting an improvement of three risk factors associated with metabolic syndrome. The results support the idea that the use of elicitors on red radish crops and its further consumption (the entire plant) may contribute to improving the general health status and gut microbiota profile.

The gut microbiota plays a key role in gastrointestinal immune and metabolic functions and is influenced by dietary composition. An in vitro protocol simulating the physiological conditions of the digestive system helps to study the effects of foods/biocompounds on gut microbiome and metabolome. The Dynamic-Colonic Gastrointestinal Digester consists of five interconnected compartments, double jacket vessels that simulate the physiological conditions of the stomach, the small intestine and the three colonic sections, which are the ascending colon, transverse colon and descending colon. Human faeces are required to reproduce the conditions and culture medium of the human colon, allowing the growth of the intestinal microbiota. After a stabilization period of 12 days, a food/biocompound can be introduced to study its modulatory effects during the next 14 days (treatment period). At the end of the stabilization and treatment period, samples taken from the colon compartments are analysed. The 16S rRNA gene analysis reveals the microbiota composition. The untargeted metabolomics analysis gives more than 10,000 features (metabolites/compounds). The present protocol allows in vitro testing of the modulatory effects of foods or biocompounds on gut microbiota composition and metabolic activity.

The Mediterranean diet (MD) is recognised as one of the healthiest diets worldwide and is associated with the prevention of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, among others. Dietary habits are considered one of the strongest modulators of the gut microbiota, which seems to play a significant role in the health and disease of the host. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate interactive associations between gut microbiota composition and habitual dietary intake in 360 Spanish adults of the Obekit cohort (normal weight, overweight and obese subjects). Dietary intake and adherence to the MD tests together with faecal samples were collected from each subject. Faecal 16S rRNA sequencing was performed and checked against the dietary habits. MetagenomeSeq was the statistical tool applied to analyse at the species taxonomic level. Results from this study confirm that a strong adherence to the MD increases the population of some beneficial bacteria, improving microbiota status towards a healthier pattern. Bifidobacterium animalis is the species with the strongest association with the MD. One of the highlights is the positive association between several SCFA-producing bacteria and high adherence to the MD. In conclusion, this study shows that MD, fibre, legumes, vegetables, fruit and nuts intakes are associated with an increase in butyrate-producing taxa such as Roseburia faecis, Ruminococcus bromii and Oscillospira (Flavonifractor) plautii.

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This study aims to analyze the relationship between gut microbiota composition and health parameters through specific biochemical markers and food consumption patterns in the Spanish population. This research includes 60 Spanish adults aged 47.3 ± 11.2 years old. Biochemical and anthropometric measurements, and a self-referred dietary survey (food frequency questionnaire), were analyzed and compared with the participant´s gut microbiota composition analyzed by 16s rDNA sequencing. Several bacterial strains differed significantly with the biochemical markers analyzed, suggesting an involvement in the participant´s metabolic health. Lower levels of Lactobacillaceae and Oscillospiraceae and an increase in Pasteurellaceae, Phascolarctobacterium, and Haemophilus were observed in individuals with higher AST levels. Higher levels of the Christensenellaceae and a decrease in Peptococcaceae were associated with higher levels of HDL-c. High levels of Phascolarctobacterium and Peptococcus and low levels of Butyricicoccus were found in individuals with higher insulin levels. This study also identified associations between bacteria and specific food groups, such as an increase in lactic acid bacteria with the consumption of fermented dairy products or an increase in Verrucomicrobiaceae with the consumption of olive oil. In conclusion, this study reinforces the idea that specific food groups can favorably modulate gut microbiota composition and have an impact on host´s health.