Dietary fibers are complex carbohydrates that serve as nutrients for the intestinal microbiota and support the symbiotic relationship that exists with the human organism. Are fibers cannot be completely broken down by digestive enzymes present in the intestine, and it is the bacteria that live there that ferment the fibers. This interaction produces metabolites that help regulate intestinal transit and They reduce the risk of metabolic diseases, such as diabetes or obesity.
And not only. A team of CSIC researchers have reviewed a study in “Nature Microbiology” in which they analyze why the microbiota produces a compound from dietary fiber that reduces the severity of liver diseases.
Specifically, Yolanda Sanz, Alejandra Flor and Marta Olivares, researchers at the Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology (IATA-CSIC), have carried out an exhaustive review of bibliographic data where they have analyzed how inulin, a soluble fiber that is fermented by the intestinal microbiota, could help prevent the progression of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in mice.
Inulin is an indigestible carbohydrate that is present in many vegetables, fruits, and cereals, and is widely used as an ingredient in functional foods. It is found naturally in foods such as artichokes, asparagus, onions or leeks, among others.
During the analysis, the researchers have evaluated the evidence of a study that compares the effect of a soluble fiber, inulin, and an insoluble fiber, cellulose, in mice with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. The results show that inulin is more effective than cellulose in attenuating fat accumulation and fibrosis, as well as reducing inflammation and oxidative stress, characteristic symptoms of NASH, a liver disease characterized by inflammation and fat accumulation (hepatic steatosis), frequently associated with obesity and type 2 diabetes. In more advanced stages, this disease can lead to liver cirrhosis.
The metabolites produced from bacteria during the fermentation process have a wide range of effects and uses in nature. The studies reviewed by the authors add to the growing evidence supporting the role of metabolites produced by intestinal bacteria in improving diet-related diseases.
intestinal barrier
In this case, the fermentation of inulin by the intestinal bacterium Parabacteroides distasonis led to the production of pentadeconoic acid, which helped reduce hepatic steatosis and inflammation. This finding complements recent studies that show that this bacterium could contribute to the reduction of weight gain, hyperglycemia, and fat accumulation in obese mice.
“Treatments with inulin, P. distasonis or pentadeconoic acid, the result of the interaction between dietary fiber and the bacteria, protect mice against NASH. These treatments could restore the function of the intestinal barrier,” the authors state in a statement.
“In humans, however, these effects depend on more variables than those studied in mice, such as the ability of each individual’s microbiota to metabolize specific fibers or each person’s lifestyle,” they maintain. “However, this study exemplifies the value of tracking nutrient flows between the microbiota and the human host organism to design diets that modulate the gut microbiota, enhancing the desired microbial functions and thus helping to mitigate metabolic diseases with increasing prevalence,” the researchers highlight.
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