Half-Elemental Diet Shifts the Human Intestinal Bacterial Compositions and Metabolites: A Pilot Study with Healthy...

This prospective study included four healthy volunteers. The subjects continued their dietary habits for 2 weeks after the registration of the study and then started half-ED replacing 900 kcal of the regular diet with ED (time point 1, T1). The subjects continued half-ED for 2 weeks (T2). After the withdrawal of ED, subjects resumed their original dietary habits for 2 weeks (T3). Fecal samples were collected from all subjects at all time points, T1-3. Fecal DNA and metabolites were extracted from the samples. We performed 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and metabolomic analysis to examine the bacterial compositions and intestinal metabolites.

There were differences in the gut bacterial compositions and metabolites at each time point as well as overtime changing patterns between subjects. Several bacteria and metabolites including short-chain fatty acids and bile acids altered significantly across the subjects. The bacterial membership and intestinal metabolites at T3 were different from T1 in all subjects.

Half-ED shifts the gut bacterial compositions and metabolites. The changes varied with each individual, while some microbes and metabolites change commonly across individuals. The impact of half-ED may persist even after the withdrawal. This trial is registered with UMIN ID: 000031920.