Perspectives on the role of the human gut microbiota and its modulation by pro- and prebiotics

Abstract

One of the most topical areas of human nutrition is the role of the gut in health and disease. Specifically, this involves interactions between the resident microbiota and dietary ingredients that support their activities. Currently, it is accepted that the gut microflora contains pathogenic, benign and beneficial components. Some microbially induced disease states such as acute gastroenteritis and pseudomembranous colitis have a defined aetiological agent(s). Speculation on the role of microbiota components in disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome, bowel cancer, neonatal necrotising enterocolitis and ulcerative colitis are less well defined, but many studies are convincing. It is evident that the gut microflora composition can be altered through diet. Because of their perceived health-promoting status, bifidobacteria and lactobacilli are the commonest targets. Probiotics involve the use of live micro-organisms in food; prebiotics are carbohydrates selectively metabolized by desirable moieties of the indigenous flora; synbiotics combine the two approaches. Dietary intervention of the human gut microbiota is feasible and has been proven as efficacious in volunteer trials. The health bonuses of such approaches offer the potential to manage many gut disorders prophylactically. However, it is imperative that the best methodologies available are applied to this area of nutritional sciences. This will undoubtedly involve a genomic application to the research and is already under way through molecular tracking of microbiota changes to diet in controlled human trials.

A human volunteer study to assess the impact of confectionery sweeteners on the gut microbiota composition

“…Dose period 1 (days [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14]. Volunteers consumed 50 g of their randomly assigned treatment chocolate, and kept daily diaries during the period.…”

Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome: Pathophysiological Role of Gut Microbiota and Potential of the Alternative Therapy

“…По мне-нию некоторых авторов, КМ оказывает глубокое влияние на состояние здоровья человека, так как обладает метаболической активностью, которая эквивалентна виртуальному органу [6]. КМ уча-ствует в выполнении ряда важных функций у че-ловека, в том числе таких, как переваривание не-перевариваемых компонентов пищи, развитие и стимуляция иммунной системы и желудочно-ки-шечного тракта хозяина, продукция фармаколо-гически активных сигнальных молекул и корот-коцепочечных жирных кислот (КЦЖК), синтез витаминов (биотин, фолат), влияние на моторику кишечника, кишечно-печёночный круговорот жирных кислот и метаболизм холестерина [7,8].…”

Prebiotic and Probiotic Approaches to Improving Food Safety on the Farm and Their Implications on Human Health

“…Much of the efficacy of products that will be described in the present review can be loosely grouped under an umbrella concept known as a "competitive enhancement" approach to pathogen reduction [1,[10][11][12][13]. The first facet is based upon the introduction of naturally-occurring microflora isolates from the gastrointestinal tract of an animal of the same species [1], occupying all available ecological niches in the gastrointestinal tract and thereby excluding pathogens [1,14]. When used in neonatal (or newly hatched) animals, this technique is known as "competitive exclusion" (CE), which reduces pathogen penetration of the naive and essentially sterile neonatal gastrointestinal tract [1,14].…”

“…The first facet is based upon the introduction of naturally-occurring microflora isolates from the gastrointestinal tract of an animal of the same species [1], occupying all available ecological niches in the gastrointestinal tract and thereby excluding pathogens [1,14]. When used in neonatal (or newly hatched) animals, this technique is known as "competitive exclusion" (CE), which reduces pathogen penetration of the naive and essentially sterile neonatal gastrointestinal tract [1,14]. Use of probiotics (also known in the animal industry as direct-fed microbials [DFMs]) is a slightly different approach in which existing gastrointestinal microbial populations can be diversified or modified/attenuated by daily inclusion of a bacterial or fungal population or end-product, and this may have an inhibitory effect on pathogenic bacteria, including foodborne pathogens [1,15].…”