Time-Restricted Feeding Modifies the Fecal Lipidome and the Gut Microbiota

Area of Science:

• Metabolic disease research
• Gut microbiome studies
• Nutritional science

Background:

• Obesity and metabolic diseases are significant health concerns.
• Time-restricted feeding (TRF) shows promise in mitigating these risks.
• The impact of TRF on nutrient absorption, fecal microbiome, and lipidome requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how time-restricted feeding (TRF) influences nutrient absorption, fecal microbiome, and lipid profiles.
• To determine the effects of high-fat diets (HF) with ad libitum (AL) versus TRF feeding on these parameters.
• To elucidate the mechanisms by which TRF exerts anti-obesogenic effects.

Main Methods:

• C57BL/6 mice were divided into three groups: control ad libitum (CTRL-AL), high-fat ad libitum (HF-AL), and high-fat time-restricted feeding (HF-TRF).
• Diets were administered for 12 weeks, with fat content at 16% (CTRL-AL) or 48% (HF-AL, HF-TRF).
• Fecal samples were analyzed for microbial composition, total fatty acids, bile acids, and short-chain fatty acids.

Main Results:

• While phylum-level microbiota remained unchanged, eight taxonomic families were altered by diet or feeding timing.
• High-fat diets significantly increased fecal fatty acid content, with HF-TRF showing a further doubling compared to HF-AL.
• TRF mitigated the reduction in short-chain fatty acids observed in HF-AL mice, and distinct relationships emerged between microbial taxa and fecal lipids across diets.

Conclusions:

• Time-restricted feeding enhances fecal fat excretion, contributing to its anti-obesogenic effects in high-fat diet models.
• Dietary fat content and feeding timing independently and interactively influence the fecal microbiome and its relationship with fecal lipids.
• TRF represents a viable strategy for managing metabolic health by modulating gut environment and fat metabolism.