Associations between Yogurt Consumption, Gut Microbiota Composition, and Glucose Dynamics: A Single-Arm 84-Day...

Area of Science:

• Metabolic health
• Gut microbiome research
• Nutritional science

Background:

• Yogurt consumption is linked to metabolic benefits, but its impact on glucose dynamics and gut microbiota is not fully understood.
• Investigating yogurt's role in metabolic health is crucial for public health and personalized nutrition.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of daily plain yogurt consumption on glucose metabolism and gut microbiota in healthy adults.
• To identify baseline host factors influencing individual glycemic responses to yogurt intake.

Main Methods:

• An 84-day study with 303 healthy Japanese adults consuming 200g of plain yogurt daily.
• Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) tracked glucose levels, while fecal samples underwent 16S rRNA gene sequencing.
• Statistical analyses explored associations between baseline characteristics and changes in glucose metrics and microbiota.

Main Results:

• Daily yogurt intake led to progressive reductions in mean glucose levels, standard deviation, and autocorrelation-based variability.
• Significant shifts in gut microbiota were observed, with increases in Blautia, Faecalibacterium, and Coprococcus, and decreases in Prevotella and Oscillospira.
• Baseline gut bacterial genera like Gemmiger and Veillonella were associated with inter-individual variability in glycemic response.

Conclusions:

• Daily yogurt consumption positively impacts glucose dynamics and reshapes the gut microbiota.
• Baseline gut microbiome composition influences glycemic responses to yogurt, highlighting potential for personalized dietary recommendations.
• The gut microbiome plays a key role in mediating the metabolic effects of yogurt.