Cranberries attenuate animal-based diet-induced changes in microbiota composition and functionality: a randomized...

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Nutritional Science
• Human Health

Background:

• The gut microbiota plays a crucial role in overall health.
• Diet significantly influences gut microbiota composition and function.
• The impact of cranberries on the gut microbiota in the context of an animal-based diet remains under-examined in controlled feeding trials.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of cranberry consumption on gut microbiota composition and function.
• To evaluate the interaction between cranberries, an animal-based diet, and gut microbial metabolites.
• To assess cranberry's potential to mitigate adverse effects of an animal-based diet on the gut microbiome.

Main Methods:

• A randomized, double-blind, cross-over, controlled feeding trial involving 11 healthy adults.
• Participants consumed an animal-based diet supplemented with either placebo or freeze-dried whole cranberry powder for 5 days.
• Stool, urine, and blood samples were collected pre- and post-intervention for analysis of microbiota, bile acids, short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), and other metabolites.

Main Results:

• An animal-based diet alone altered microbiota composition, increasing Firmicutes and decreasing Bacteroidetes, while also increasing deoxycholic acid and decreasing acetate and butyrate.
• Cranberry supplementation attenuated these diet-induced changes, decreasing Firmicutes and increasing Bacteroidetes.
• Cranberries counteracted the increase in secondary bile acids and the decrease in SCFA caused by the animal-based diet, and increased urinary anthocyanins and phenolic acids.

Conclusions:

• An animal-based diet can lead to an unfavorable gut microbiota profile, characterized by increased carcinogenic bile acids and decreased beneficial SCFA.
• Cranberries demonstrated a capacity to modulate the gut microbiota, mitigating the negative impacts of an animal-based diet.
• Cranberry consumption may be a beneficial dietary strategy for supporting gut health, particularly in the context of diets high in animal products.