Systematic Review of Beef Protein Effects on Gut Microbiota: Implications for Health

Abstract

The influence of diet on the gut microbiota is an emerging research area with significant impact on human health and disease. However, the effects of beef, the most consumed red meat in the United States, on gut microbial profile are not well studied. Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols, the objective of this systematic review was to conduct a rigorous and thorough review of the current scientific literature regarding the effects of beef protein and the resulting bioactivity of beef protein and amino acids on the gut microbiota, with the goal of identifying gaps in the literature and guiding future research priorities. Utilizing MEDLINE Complete, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases, we conducted searches including terms and combinations of the following: animal protein, amino acid, beef, bioactive compounds, diet, health, microbiome, peptide, processed beef, and protein. We identified 131 articles, from which 15 were included in our review. The effects of beef on mouse and rat models were mostly consistent for the bacterial phylum level. Short-term (1–4-wk) beef intakes had little to no effect on microbial profiles in humans. Most studies utilized high beef feeding (240–380 g/d), and no study examined recommended amounts of protein [∼3.71 oz/d (105 g/d) meats, poultry, and eggs, or ∼26 oz/week (737 g/wk) from these food sources] according to US dietary guidelines. Additionally, the majority of animal and human studies with adverse findings examined the impact of beef in the context of a diet high in fat or sugar. In conclusion, an extensive gap exists in the literature regarding beef and the microbiota. More studies are necessary to elucidate the role of the microbiota following the consumption of beef, especially in interaction with other dietary compounds, and how beef preparation, processing, and cooking methods differentially influence the biological effects of beef on human health.

The Functional Interplay between Gut Microbiota, Protein Hydrolysates/Bioactive Peptides, and Obesity: A Critical Review on the Study Advances

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Early-Life Nutrition Interventions Improved Growth Performance and Intestinal Health via the Gut Microbiota in Piglets

“…Moreover, Lactobacillus may have upregulated gene expression of tight junction proteins ( 43 ). Previous studies report that Lactobacillus plays a key role in positively protecting the gut barrier ( 44 ). Pearson correlation analysis was conducted to explore the relationships among the abundances of major gut flora with the expression of tight junction proteins.…”

Chronic intestinal inflammation drives colorectal tumor formation triggered by dietary heme iron in vivo

“…Eubacterium rectale, Rumimnococuccus bromii ) and increased levels of bile-tolerant bacteria, such as Bacteroides ( Bacteroidetes ) and Bilophila wadsworthia ( Proteobacteria ), were detected in this study (David et al 2014 ). As noticed recently, there is still a knowledge gap regarding red meat consumption in humans and its impact on the intestinal microbiota (Albracht-Schulte et al 2021 ). Therefore, further human intervention studies are required to detail the role of red meat and heme iron on the intestinal microbiota.…”