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Nutrients
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Effect of Dietary Components on Gut Homeostasis and Microbiota
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Effect of Dietary Components on Gut Homeostasis and Microbiota

A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Prebiotics and Probiotics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 August 2025 | Viewed by 12397

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Zhengyuan Zhai

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Food Laboratory of Zhongyuan, China Agricultural University, Luohe 462300, China
2. College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China
Interests: probiotics; extracellular vesicles; ulcerative colitis; inflammatory; gut microbiota
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Huaxi Yi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Food Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China
Interests: bacteriocin; probiotic; lactic acid bacteria; food safety; gut microbiota
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Xu Yang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Don B. Huntley College of Agriculture, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, CA, USA
Interests: antimicrobial; biosensing; food safety; food science; food processing; food microbiology; food sustainability

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The interplay between diet and gut health has garnered considerable attention in recent years. Emerging research highlights the pivotal role of dietary components in shaping gut homeostasis and influencing the composition and function of the gut microbiota. This Special Issue aims to explore the relationship between dietary factors and gut health, shedding light on their impact on microbiota composition, host–microbe interactions and overall well-being.

This Special Issue seeks to encompass a broad range of topics related to the effect of dietary components on gut homeostasis and microbiota, including, but not limited to, the following:

(1) Nutritional Modulation of Gut Microbiota: Investigations into how various dietary components, such as fibers, prebiotics, probiotics, polyphenols and macronutrients, influence the diversity, abundance and metabolic activity of gut microbes.

(2) Mechanisms of Dietary Influence: Exploring the molecular mechanisms underlying the interaction between dietary factors and gut microbiota, including fermentation, metabolite production and immune modulation.

(3) Impact on Gut Barrier Function: Studies elucidating the role of dietary components in maintaining intestinal barrier integrity, epithelial health and mucosal immunity, and their implications for preventing gastrointestinal disorders.

(4) Dietary Interventions in Gut Disorders: Clinical trials and experimental studies investigating the therapeutic potential of dietary interventions, such as dietary supplements, functional foods and personalized nutrition strategies, in managing gut-related conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome and dysbiosis.

(5) Gut–Brain Axis and Dietary Influence: Examination of the bidirectional communication between the gut and the brain, and how dietary factors modulate this axis to impact mood, cognition and neurological disorders.

(6) Role of Diet in Microbial Dysbiosis: Assessing the contribution of dietary patterns, such as Western diets high in processed foods and low in fiber, to dysbiosis-associated diseases, including obesity, metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular diseases.

Dr. Zhengyuan Zhai
Prof. Dr. Huaxi Yi
Dr. Xu Yang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Nutrients is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • gut health
  • gut homeostasis
  • gut microbiota
  • prebiotics
  • probiotics
  • gut barrier function
  • gut disorders
  • gut–brain axis

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 5426 KiB  
Article
Water-Soluble Cellulose Acetate Changes the Intestinal Microbiota in Mice with Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis
by Ayaka Iida, Ena Takahashi, Sachi Kuranuki, Shu Shimamoto, Tsuyoshi Nakamura and Hiroshi Kitagaki
Nutrients 2025, 17(3), 500; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17030500 - 29 Jan 2025
Viewed by 830
Abstract
Objectives: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a prevalent chronic disorder of the liver and affects many people worldwide. Intestinal bacteria are thought to be involved in the pathological progression of NAFLD; therefore, improving the intestinal microbiota may be important in controlling [...] Read more.
Objectives: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a prevalent chronic disorder of the liver and affects many people worldwide. Intestinal bacteria are thought to be involved in the pathological progression of NAFLD; therefore, improving the intestinal microbiota may be important in controlling NAFLD. In this study, we assessed the effects of water-soluble cellulose acetate (WSCA) on the intestinal microbiota in a non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) mouse model. Methods: NASH model (STAM mice) was created by streptozotocin injection and feeding the mice a high-fat diet. The serum biochemical parameters were analyzed. Intestinal bacterial populations were analyzed using paired-end sequencing of 16S rRNA, 18S rRNA, and internal transcribed spacer gene. Results: Our findings indicated that WSCA administration tends to improve the serum alanine aminotransferase and glucose levels in STAM mice and decreased the alpha diversity and altered the beta diversity of their intestinal microbiota. Additionally, WSCA intake resulted in an increase in the abundance of Coriobacteriaceae_UCG-002 and a decrease in the abundance of Enterobacter. Conclusions: WSCA intake can alter specific microbial compositions to improve blood glucose levels and liver functions and may improve the pathogenesis of NAFLD. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effect of Dietary Components on Gut Homeostasis and Microbiota)
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28 pages, 12568 KiB  
Article
Lactobacillus fermentum 016 Alleviates Mice Colitis by Modulating Oxidative Stress, Gut Microbiota, and Microbial Metabolism
by Huachun Pan, Shumin Yang, Md. F. Kulyar, Hongwei Ma, Kewei Li, Lihong Zhang, Quan Mo and Jiakui Li
Nutrients 2025, 17(3), 452; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17030452 - 26 Jan 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1260
Abstract
Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic and progressive inflammatory gastrointestinal disease closely associated with gut microbiota dysbiosis and metabolic homeostasis disruption. Although targeted microbial therapies are an emerging intervention strategy for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), the mechanisms by which specific probiotics, such as [...] Read more.
Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic and progressive inflammatory gastrointestinal disease closely associated with gut microbiota dysbiosis and metabolic homeostasis disruption. Although targeted microbial therapies are an emerging intervention strategy for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), the mechanisms by which specific probiotics, such as Lactobacillus fermentum 016 (LF), alleviate UC remain unclear. The current study evaluated the effects of LF supplementation on gut health in a basal model using C57BL/6 mice. Subsequently, the preventive effects and mechanisms of LF supplementation on DSS-induced UC were systematically investigated. According to our findings, LF supplementation revealed immunoregulatory capabilities with significantly altered gut the composition of microbiota and metabolic activities, particularly enhancing tryptophan metabolism. In the UC model, LF supplementation effectively mitigated weight loss, increased the disease activity index (DAI), and alleviated diarrhea, rectal bleeding, and colon shortening. Moreover, it reduced colonic pathological damage and histological injury scores. LF intervention improved antioxidant markers and intestinal mucosal barrier function with the activation of the Nrf2–Keap1 signaling pathway and regulation of systemic inflammatory markers, i.e., IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-4, and IL-10. Importantly, LF supplementation reversed metabolic disturbances by significantly increasing the abundance of beneficial genera (e.g., g_Dubosiella, g_Faecalibaculum, g_Odoribacter, g_Candidatus_saccharimonas, g_Roseburia, and g_Eubacterium_xylanophilum_group) and elevating tryptophan metabolites (e.g., melatonin, kynurenic acid, 3-indoleacetic acid, 5-methoxytryptophan, and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid). In conclusion, Lactobacillus fermentum 016 exhibits potential for regulating gut microbiota homeostasis, enhancing tryptophan metabolism, and alleviating UC, providing critical insights for developing probiotic-based precision therapeutic strategies for IBD. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effect of Dietary Components on Gut Homeostasis and Microbiota)
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21 pages, 8876 KiB  
Article
Study on the Regulatory Mechanism of Niacin Combined with B. animalis F1-7 in Alleviating Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease by Up-Regulating GPR109A
by Xi Liang, Tianhu Shan, Xiumei Zheng, Zhe Zhang, Yanping Fan, Huaqi Zhang, Lanwei Zhang and Hui Liang
Nutrients 2024, 16(23), 4170; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16234170 - 30 Nov 2024
Viewed by 1315
Abstract
Background: This study aimed to investigate the effects of niacin combined with B. animalis F1-7 on the improvement of alcoholic fatty liver disease (AFLD) in mice and its potential regulatory mechanism. Methods: A total of 75 8-week-old male C57BL/6N mice were acclimated for [...] Read more.
Background: This study aimed to investigate the effects of niacin combined with B. animalis F1-7 on the improvement of alcoholic fatty liver disease (AFLD) in mice and its potential regulatory mechanism. Methods: A total of 75 8-week-old male C57BL/6N mice were acclimated for one week and randomly divided into five groups: control group, alcohol model group (AFLD), niacin intervention group (NA), B. animalis F1-7 intervention group (F1-7), and niacin combined with B. animalis F1-7 intervention group (NF). The experiment lasted for 8 weeks. Results: The results showed that all intervention groups could effectively reduce the serum lipid levels and inflammatory response of mice induced by alcohol to varying degrees. The immunofluorescence analysis showed that the GPR109A in the liver and intestine of the NF group was significantly enhanced compared with the other groups. Niacin combined with B. animalis F1-7 better restored the gut microbiota. Meanwhile, each intervention group could increase their levels of SCFAs. Among them, the combination group increased the levels of acetic acid and butyric acid more significantly than the other two groups. The Spearman’s correlation analysis of gut microbiota and SCFAs showed that Norank_f_Eubacterium_coprostanoligenes_group, Allobaculum, and Akkermansia were positively correlated with changes in SCFAs, while Coriobacteriaceae_UCG-002, Romboutsia, and Clostridium_sensu_stricro_1 were negatively correlated. Conclusions: Niacin combined with B. animalis F1-7 better regulated the gut microbial balance and increased the SCFAs in mice with alcoholic steatohepatitis. The mechanism was related to the activation of the target GPR109A, which regulates the key proteins involved in lipid synthesis and β-oxidation to improve lipid metabolic disorders. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effect of Dietary Components on Gut Homeostasis and Microbiota)
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18 pages, 1125 KiB  
Article
Changes in Digestive Health, Satiety and Overall Well-Being after 14 Days of a Multi-Functional GI Primer Supplement
by Elena Nekrasov, Alexandra Adorno Vita, Ryan Bradley, Nikhat Contractor, Nadeesha M. Gunaratne, Marissa Kuehn, Rick Kitisin, Deval Patel, Erin Woods and Bo Zhou
Nutrients 2024, 16(18), 3173; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16183173 - 19 Sep 2024
Viewed by 3796
Abstract
A recent review proposed a role for multi-functional food or supplement products in priming the gut to support both digestive and systemic health. Accordingly, we designed and eva-luated the effect of a multi-functional gastrointestinal (GI) primer supplement on participant-reported measures for digestive health, [...] Read more.
A recent review proposed a role for multi-functional food or supplement products in priming the gut to support both digestive and systemic health. Accordingly, we designed and eva-luated the effect of a multi-functional gastrointestinal (GI) primer supplement on participant-reported measures for digestive health, quality-of-life (e.g., energy/vitality and general health), and reasons for satiation (e.g., attitudes towards food and eating). In this single-arm clinical trial, 68 participants with mild digestive symptoms consumed the GI primer supplement daily for 14 days. Digestive symptoms were evaluated daily from baseline (Day 0) through Day 14. At baseline and Day 14, participants reported their stool consistency, reasons for satiation, and quality-of-life measures using validated questionnaires. At Day 14, participants reported significant improvements in all (13/13) digestive symptom parameters (p-values < 0.05) and an increase in % of stools with normal consistencies. There were significant improvements (p-values < 0.05) in energy/vitality and general health, and in specific attitudes towards food and eating (e.g., physical satisfaction, planned amount, decreased eating priority, decreased food appeal, and self-consciousness). Results suggest the GI primer supplement promotes digestive health, improves quality of life, and impacts attitudes towards food/eating. This study provides preliminary support for the gut priming hypothesis through which multi-functional digestive products may improve GI health. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effect of Dietary Components on Gut Homeostasis and Microbiota)
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Review

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27 pages, 3099 KiB  
Review
A Comprehensive Review on Dietary Polysaccharides as Prebiotics, Synbiotics, and Postbiotics in Infant Formula and Their Influences on Gut Microbiota
by Wenyuan Zhang, Yanli Zhang, Yaqi Zhao, Liang Li, Zhanquan Zhang, Kasper Hettinga, Haixia Yang and Jianjun Deng
Nutrients 2024, 16(23), 4122; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16234122 - 28 Nov 2024
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1869
Abstract
Human milk contains an abundance of nutrients which benefit the development and growth of infants. However, infant formula has to be used when breastfeeding is not possible. The large differences between human milk and infant formula in prebiotics lead to the suboptimal intestinal [...] Read more.
Human milk contains an abundance of nutrients which benefit the development and growth of infants. However, infant formula has to be used when breastfeeding is not possible. The large differences between human milk and infant formula in prebiotics lead to the suboptimal intestinal health of infant formula-fed infants. This functional deficit of infant formula may be overcome through other dietary polysaccharides that have been characterized. The aim of this review was to summarize the potential applications of dietary polysaccharides as prebiotics, synbiotics, and postbiotics in infant formula to better mimic the functionality of human milk prebiotics for infant gut health. Previous studies have demonstrated the influences of dietary polysaccharides on gut microbiota, SCFA production, and immune system development. Compared to prebiotics, synbiotics and postbiotics showed better application potential in shaping the gut microbiota, the prevention of pathogen infections, and the development of the immune system. Moreover, the safety issues for biotics still require more clinical trials with a large-scale population and long time duration, and the generally accepted regulations are important to regulate related products. Pectin polysaccharides has similar impacts to human milk oligosaccharides on gut microbiota and the repairing of a damaged gut barrier, with similar functions also being observed for inulin and β-glucan. Prebiotics as an encapsulation material combined with probiotics and postbiotics showed better potential applications compared to traditional material in infant formula. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effect of Dietary Components on Gut Homeostasis and Microbiota)
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25 pages, 3560 KiB  
Review
A New Strategy for Dietary Nutrition to Improve Intestinal Homeostasis in Diarrheal Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Perspective on Intestinal Flora and Intestinal Epithelial Interaction
by Xinyu Wu, Yilong Cao, Yixiang Liu and Jie Zheng
Nutrients 2024, 16(18), 3192; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16183192 - 21 Sep 2024
Viewed by 2628
Abstract
Background and objectives: Although a reasonable diet is essential for promoting human health, precise nutritional regulation presents a challenge for different physiological conditions. Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is characterized by recurrent abdominal pain and abnormal bowel habits, and diarrheal IBS (IBS-D) is the [...] Read more.
Background and objectives: Although a reasonable diet is essential for promoting human health, precise nutritional regulation presents a challenge for different physiological conditions. Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is characterized by recurrent abdominal pain and abnormal bowel habits, and diarrheal IBS (IBS-D) is the most common, seriously affecting patients’ quality of life. Therefore, the implementation of precise nutritional interventions for IBS-D has become an urgent challenge in the fields of nutrition and food science. IBS-D intestinal homeostatic imbalance involves intestinal flora disorganization and impaired intestinal epithelial barrier function. A familiar interaction is evident between intestinal flora and intestinal epithelial cells (IECs), which together maintain intestinal homeostasis and health. Dietary patterns, such as the Mediterranean diet, have been shown to regulate gut flora, which in turn improves the body’s health by influencing the immune system, the hormonal system, and other metabolic pathways. Methods: This review summarized the relationship between intestinal flora, IECs, and IBS-D. It analyzed the mechanism behind IBS-D intestinal homeostatic imbalance by examining the interactions between intestinal flora and IECs, and proposed a precise dietary nutrient intervention strategy. Results and conclusion: This increases the understanding of the IBS-D-targeted regulation pathways and provides guidance for designing related nutritional intervention strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effect of Dietary Components on Gut Homeostasis and Microbiota)
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