Search Results (5,680)

Recovery in elite athletes represents a critical determinant of performance and health outcomes. The gut microbiota has been proposed as a modulating factor for recovery through anti-inflammatory mechanisms, oxidative stress management, sleep regulation, and biosynthetic potential for essential micronutrients. This review examines the mechanisms linking gut microbiota composition and function to athletic recovery and critically evaluates the evidence supporting its application in sports medicine. Athletes appear to harbor a more enriched microbial biosynthetic potential, with substantially greater numbers of high-biological-impact synthases involved in the production of vitamins, amino acids, and bioactive metabolites. Short-chain fatty acids, particularly butyrate and propionate, have demonstrated anti-inflammatory effects in preclinical studies, with emerging evidence in humans. The gut–brain axis has been proposed to modulate recovery by regulating neurotransmitter production and controlling circadian rhythms. Sport-associated microbial signatures seem to reflect metabolic demands, with endurance athletes showing enrichment for Prevotella and Veillonella, while strength athletes tend to harbor higher levels of proteolytic bacteria. Probiotic interventions with multi-strain Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium formulations have reported reductions in inflammatory markers, improvements in oxidative stress biomarkers, and enhanced sleep quality in small-scale randomized controlled trials involving athletic populations, and improvements in self-reported sleep quality in a controlled, non-randomized study in elite athletes. Optimizing gut microbiota composition and function offers a promising complementary strategy for enhancing recovery in elite athletes. Potential applications that require prospective validation include sport-specific probiotic interventions, nutritional strategies to enhance short-chain fatty acid production, and the integration of microbiota assessment with traditional recovery monitoring. Further research is needed to establish standardized protocols and identify predictive biomarkers of individual response to microbiota-targeted interventions. Full article

Tylosin (TYL), a macrolide antibiotic, is commonly used to treat respiratory infections in weaned piglets. Despite its utility, TYL administration is associated with adverse side effects, including immune dysregulation and gut microbiota imbalance. This study evaluated whether methyl gallate (MG), a natural polyphenolic compound with antimicrobial and immunomodulatory properties, could mitigate these side effects of TYL. Forty weaned piglets were randomly assigned to a saline control group, a TYL (10 mg/kg) group, an MG (10 mg/kg) group, and a TYL + MG (10 mg/kg each) group. Changes in body weight, hematological parameters, plasma cytokines, culturable fecal bacterial populations, and 16S rRNA-based gut microbiota composition were evaluated in all weaned piglets. There were no significant differences (p > 0.05) in ADG, ADFI, or FE among the treatment groups. Hematological analysis revealed significant changes in neutrophil and eosinophil counts, showing significant fluctuations in the MG-treated group compared with the control. TYL administration significantly decreased TNF-α and IL-1β levels while increasing IL-10 and IL-1ra concentrations, indicating immunomodulatory effects. In contrast, MG significantly increased adaptive immune-associated cytokines, including IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, and IL-12. Culture-based fecal microbiological analysis revealed that TYL reduced Lactobacillus abundance and lowered the culture-based Lactobacillus/Enterobacteriaceae ratio, suggesting acute dysbiosis. Co-administration of MG partially attenuated these microbiota-associated alterations and promoted the recovery of bacterial populations. Moreover, 16S rRNA sequencing demonstrated that similar relative abundances of Proteobacteria were observed in the TYL and TYL + MG groups. Therefore, no clear reduction in relative abundance of Proteobacteria was demonstrated under the present experimental conditions. These findings support the possibility that MG may partially attenuate selected TYL-associated immunological and gut microbiota-related changes under the conditions of the present exploratory study. A graphical summary of the study design and the principal findings is presented in the Graphical Abstract. Full article

Constipation is a prevalent gastrointestinal disorder with limited effective therapeutic options. Probiotics have emerged as promising microecological interventions, yet marked strain-specific efficacy and incomplete mechanistic understanding hinder clinical translation. This review systematically synthesizes evidence from human randomized controlled trials, animal studies, and mechanistic investigations on probiotic interventions for constipation. We catalog major anti-constipation strains across Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, Bacillus, and other genera, and summarize key findings from published meta-analyses indicating that B. coagulans improves stool consistency by 52.8%, L. paracasei demonstrates 86.3% effectiveness for incomplete defecation severity and 87.6% for PAC-SYM, while L. reuteri achieves 99.9% effectiveness on PAC-QoL. Mechanistically, probiotics act through four synergistic pathways: gut microbiota modulation, metabolite-mediated actions centered on SCFAs and 5-HT—with strains harboring the abfA gene cluster exhibiting enhanced arabinan utilization for sustained metabolite production—gut–brain axis neuro regulation, and dynamic mucosal barrier restoration. Finally, we propose a systematic four-stage screening pipeline integrating genomic pre-screening, probiotic property evaluation, in vitro functional prediction, and in vivo multi-tiered validation. This review provides a comprehensive framework for evidence-based strain selection and personalized probiotic therapy in constipation management. Full article

Background: Patients with Kawasaki disease (KD) who develop coronary artery aneurysms (CAAs) are at increased risk of future fatal coronary events. Pharmacotherapeutic strategies to prevent coronary stenosis are still lacking. In this exploratory study, the therapeutic effect of the angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) losartan on coronary artery (CA) stenosis was investigated in a murine model. Methods: Five-week-old male C57BL/6J mice were intraperitoneally injected with 1000 μg of Lactobacillus casei cell wall extract (LCWE) (n = 12) to induce CA stenosis. Two weeks later, the LCWE-injected mice (n = 12) were divided into two groups: six received drinking water containing losartan (100 mg/L) (LCWE+ARB), while six received normal drinking water (LCWE group). A control group (n = 5) received phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) instead of LCWE. Sixteen weeks after LCWE administration—corresponding to the peak of CA stenosis and 14 weeks after treatment initiation—the mice were euthanized for histological evaluation of the coronary arteries. Results: Losartan treatment significantly reduced the coronary arteritis score (median [IQR (interquartile range)]: 0 [0–9.5] vs. 21.5 [15–24.3], p = 0.003). LCWE-induced neointimal formation with vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation and subsequent CA stenosis were markedly attenuated in losartan-treated mice (25% vs. 100%, p < 0.001). Losartan-associated attenuation of CA stenosis was accompanied by the preservation of medial calponin expression, a reduction in the number of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA)-positive cells in the neointima, and a decrease in serum MMP-9 (matrix metalloproteinase-9) levels. Conclusions: These findings from a murine model of KD provide preliminary evidence that losartan may attenuate coronary artery remodeling. Further mechanistic studies are warranted to clarify its potential translational relevance. Full article

Background: Hyperlipidemia represents a pivotal risk factor for multiple cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, creating an urgent demand for safe, effective novel therapeutic interventions. Resveratrol (RES), a natural plant polyphenol, has exhibited great potential as a hypolipidemic agent for hyperlipidemia treatment. Methods: In this work, we established a high-fat diet (HFD)-induced hyperlipidemic mouse model to systematically investigate the lipid-regulating efficacy of RES. Results: Oral administration of RES significantly decreased serum levels of total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, while markedly increasing high-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations. Histopathological analyses further demonstrated that RES alleviated HFD-induced hepatic and ileal injury. Moreover, RES significantly decreased the circulating levels of several bile acids (BAs), including taurodeoxycholic acid, taurolithocholic acid, lithocholic acid, and tauro-(α + β)-muricholic acid. RES also ameliorated HFD-induced gut microbial dysbiosis, as evidenced by a reduction in the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio, increased relative abundances of non_f_Muribaculaceae, Lactobacillus, Ileibacterium, and Bacteroides, and decreased abundances of Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group and unclassified f_Lachnospiraceae. Spearman correlation analysis revealed significant associations between gut microbial taxa and BA profiles, suggesting that coordinated regulation of the gut microbiota and BA metabolism contributes to the hypolipidemic effects of RES. Conclusions: Collectively, RES alleviates HFD-induced hyperlipidemia by remodeling gut microbiota composition and restoring bile acid metabolic homeostasis. Full article

Feeding animals with soybean meal (SBM) fermented by probiotics normally confers benefits. This study evaluated the growth-promoting effects of SBM fermented with Bacillus subtilis M2 (M2-FSBM), a probiotic strain with antimicrobial activity, as a replacement for conventional SBM in chicken diets. A total of 264 one-day-old Dongxiang green-shell laying-type chickens were randomly assigned to four groups (six replicates/group, 11 birds/replicate) and fed a basal diet with 0% (control, with 35% SBM), 25%, 50%, or 75% of SBM replaced by M2-FSBM for 45 days. Growth performance, feed consumption, serum insulin-like growth factor and epidermal growth factor, small intestinal morphology, and cecal microbiota diversity were evaluated. Compared with the control, M2-FSBM replacement significantly increased body weight at day 15 (all replacement levels) and day 30 (50% and 75% groups), and at day 45 (75% group) (p < 0.05). The improved growth was attributed to increased average daily feed intake rather than improved feed conversion ratio. The 75% M2-FSBM group showed significantly increased villus height in the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum, and elevated jejunal villus height-to-crypt depth ratio (p < 0.05). Cecal microbiota analysis revealed increased abundances of Faecalibacterium and Negativibacillus and decreased abundances of Mediterraneibacter, Blautia, and unclassified_f_Lachnospiraceae, while Lactobacillus and Limosilactobacillus remained stable. Replacing SBM with M2-FSBM improves growth performance in young chickens, likely through increased feed intake and improved intestinal morphology, accompanied by beneficial modulation of cecal microbiota. M2-FSBM shows promise as a growth-promoting alternative feed material for poultry. Full article

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a recurrent mood disorder associated with reduced photoperiod exposure and circadian disruption during autumn and winter. Emerging evidence links SAD to alterations in serotonergic signaling, neuroimmune activity, metabolism, and the microbiota–gut–brain axis; however, the causal relationships among these systems remain incompletely understood. A structured search of PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus identified relevant publications from 2000 to 2025, with clinical and preclinical evidence evaluated separately. Proposed links between circadian misalignment, inflammatory signaling, and tryptophan metabolism toward the kynurenine pathway are based largely on associative and preclinical findings rather than confirmed mechanisms in SAD. The microbiota–gut–brain axis in SAD is likely bidirectional, as seasonal changes in feeding behavior, physical activity, and circadian phase may themselves influence gut microbial composition and function. Accordingly, microbiome alterations in affective disorders may reflect both potential upstream modulators and downstream consequences of disease-related behavior. Psychobiotics have been proposed as modulators of gut–brain communication in affective disorders. Among candidate strains, Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG (formerly Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG; LGG) has shown effects on intestinal barrier function, immune signaling, and host tryptophan metabolism in preclinical studies. However, evidence derives largely from animal or non-seasonal depression models, and direct evidence in SAD is lacking. Thus, LGG should be considered a mechanistically plausible candidate for future investigation rather than an established therapy. This review synthesizes evidence on circadian regulation, serotonergic and tryptophan metabolism, and microbiota–gut–brain interactions in SAD, and highlights mechanistic gaps for future studies. Full article

The endometrial microbiome has been implicated in implantation success, and intrauterine peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) therapy has been proposed to improve endometrial receptivity; however, its effects on the endometrial microbial environment remain poorly understood. This prospective study evaluated changes in endometrial microbiome composition following PBMC therapy in 26 in vitro fertilization (IVF) patients. Paired endometrial biopsies were collected before and after intrauterine administration of autologous PBMCs, and 16S rRNA gene sequencing (V4–V5 region) was performed. Microbiome composition was analyzed at genus and species levels, and alpha and beta diversity metrics were compared between paired samples. No significant changes in microbial composition or diversity were observed across the entire cohort following treatment. However, patients with lower baseline Lactobacillus abundance exhibited greater microbiome responsiveness, showing larger increases in Lactobacillus after treatment. This association remained significant after adjustment for age and BMI (ρ = −0.457, p = 0.019; β = −0.367, p = 0.047). Moreover, subgroup analysis identified two distinct response patterns based on Lactobacillus dynamics: a Lactobacillus-increase group (n = 14) and a no-increase group (n = 12). Baseline Lactobacillus dominance (LD: >90% relative abundance) was less frequent in the increase group (14%) than in the no-increase group (50%). In Lactobacillus-increase patients, the median relative abundance rose from 17.6% to 95.5% (p < 0.001), 64% achieved LD, and Shannon and Simpson diversity indices decreased significantly (p = 0.04 and p = 0.02, respectively). In the no-increase group, Lactobacilli remained the most abundant taxon, and the diversity indices were unchanged following treatment. These findings suggest that baseline endometrial microbiome composition may influence responsiveness to PBMC therapy and could support future patient stratification strategies in IVF treatment. Whether these microbiome changes translate into improved clinical outcomes requires evaluation in future studies. Full article

Background: Mung bean soup (MBS), as a common form of mung bean consumption, is widely consumed in folk to relieve summer heat. However, MBS is prone to red discoloration during cooking and storage. Furthermore, how this color change affects its phenolic compounds composition and bioactivity remains poorly understood. Objectives: Herein, this study systematically compared the phenolic profiles and heat stress (HS)-alleviating effects of normal mung bean soup (NMBS) and reddened mung bean soup (RMBS). Methods: Male C57BL/6J mice (six-week-old) were randomly assigned to four groups: control (no HS), HS, HS-NMBS, and HS-RMBS. HS was induced at 40 °C for 2 h/day for 7 days, with NMBS or RMBS provided ad libitum throughout the experiment. Phenolic analysis, oxidative stress markers, inflammatory cytokines, and gut microbiota were evaluated. Results: The results showed that reddening significantly reduced the total phenolic and flavonoid contents by 18.28% and 16.77%, respectively, accompanied by the loss of key bioactive compounds (vitexin and isovitexin). NMBS and RMBS could effectively alleviate HS-induced physiological damages in mice to varying degrees, including reduced weight loss, improved hepatic and intestinal histopathology, and lower levels of oxidative stress and inflammation (p < 0.05). However, NMBS provided superior overall protection by downregulating the expression of HS-associated genes (PPAR-γ) and pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β), while upregulating the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. Furthermore, supplementation with NMBS or RMBS restored the gut microbiota dysbiosis induced by HS. Especially, NMBS was more effective in restoring microbial diversity, modulating the F/B ratio, and enriching beneficial bacteria including Lactobacillus, Dubosiella, and norank_f_Muribaculaceae. Conclusions: These results highlight the importance of avoiding the occurrence of redness in MBS to maximize its efficacy. Full article

Feed scarcity constrains livestock production, particularly on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The effects of green alfalfa (GA) on Diqing Tibetan pig performance remain unclear. This study aimed to evaluate GA effects on Diqing Tibetan pig performance and to explore the potential underlying mechanisms through integrated metagenomic, transcriptomic, and metabolomic analyses. Thirty-six Diqing Tibetan pigs were randomly assigned to two groups and fed either a basal diet or a diet containing 90% basal diet and 10% GA. GA did not adversely affect growth performance but reduced 6–7 rib backfat thickness and muscle water loss rate by 19.79% (FDR = 0.027) and 17.80% (FDR = 0.036), while increasing muscle moisture content by 3.51% (FDR = 0.036). GA increased cecal microbial alpha diversity, Bacteroidota-related taxa, and functional genes related to lipid and vitamin metabolism, while decreasing Bacillota and Lactobacillus johnsonii. In the longissimus dorsi, TNNI1, MYL2 and MYL3 were upregulated, whereas FOS and FOSB were downregulated; GA increased vanillyl alcohol, L-histidine, LPE (0:0/22:5), and licochalcone B, but decreased glyceryl monostearate, benzaldehyde, cortisol, tryptamine, 4-ethyloctanoic acid, 8-methylnonanoic acid, and purine. Overall, 10% GA reshaped gut microbial, muscle transcriptomic, metabolomic profiles and collectively influenced 6–7 rib backfat thickness and muscle water-holding capacity in Diqing Tibetan pigs. Full article

To develop green feed additives suitable for antibiotic-free livestock farming on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau, this study used Lactobacillus salivarius TB2.1, isolated from Tibetan black pigs, and Lactobacillus agilis CW13.2, isolated from wild boars in the Changbai Mountains, to prepare fermented feed. The study investigated the effects of these additives on the growth performance, slaughter performance, meat quality, immune and antioxidant functions, and gut microbiota composition of Duroc × Landrace × Large White crossbred finishing pigs (DLY finishing pigs). The experiment included 72 finishing pigs with an average body weight of 54.07 ± 1.02 kg, which were randomly divided into three groups, each with four replicates of 6 pigs. The control group (CK) was fed a basal diet, one treatment group (TB) was fed a diet consisting of 50% basal diet plus 50% Lactobacillus salivarius TB2.1-fermented feed, and the other treatment group (CW) was fed a diet consisting of 50% basal diet plus 50% Lactobacillus agilis CW13.2-fermented feed. The pre-feeding period lasted 3 days, and the experimental period lasted 57 days. The results showed that, compared with the CK group, (1) the CW and TB groups had significantly higher levels of crude protein, lactic acid, acetic acid, and propionic acid in the feed (p < 0.05), and significantly lower levels of crude fiber, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, ammonium nitrogen, and pH (p < 0.05); (2) in the CW and TB groups, final body weight, average daily weight gain, and average daily feed intake were significantly higher (p < 0.001), while the feed-to-gain ratio was significantly lower (p < 0.01), with the CW group performing better than the TB group; (3) in both the CW and TB groups, carcass weight, eye muscle area, and meat redness significantly increased (p < 0.001), while backfat thickness and shear force significantly decreased (p < 0.001); (4) in both the CW and TB groups, serum immunoglobulin G, interleukin-2, and superoxide dismutase levels significantly increased (p < 0.05), malondialdehyde levels were significantly reduced in the CW group (p < 0.05), and catalase activity was significantly increased in the TB group (p < 0.05); (5) the relative abundance of Escherichia spp. in the cecum was significantly reduced in both the CW and TB groups (p < 0.05), while beneficial bacteria such as Lactobacillus spp. were significantly enriched (p < 0.05). In summary, feed fermented with Lactobacillus salivarius TB2.1 and Lactobacillus agilis CW13.2 can effectively improve the production performance of finishing pigs, enhance meat quality, strengthen immune and antioxidant capacities, and optimize the gut microbiota structure. Among these, CW13.2 was more effective in promoting weight gain, while TB2.1 was more effective in regulating protein and lipid metabolism. Fermented feed produced with both strains shows promising application prospects and can provide high-quality microbial strains and technical support for antibiotic-free swine farming on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau. Full article

Biogeographic barriers are well known to structure animal and plant diversity, but whether they are associated with variation in host-associated microbiomes, especially in tropical pollinators, remains poorly understood. Here, we investigated gut bacterial community variation in the stingless bee Tetragonula laeviceps (Apidae: Meliponini) collected from Bali and Lombok, two Indonesian islands situated on opposite sides of the Wallace Line. Using 16S rRNA gene V3–V4 amplicon sequencing, we analyzed 12 colony-level samples collected from forest and agroforestry habitats on both islands. Alpha-diversity analysis revealed variation in bacterial richness and diversity among colonies and sampling groups, with the highest richness observed in the Lombok agroforestry group. The gut microbiota was dominated by Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Actinobacteriota and Bacteroidota, with several bee-associated genera, including Lactobacillus, Bombilactobacillus, Apilactobacillus, Bombella, Commensalibacter, Snodgrassella, Bifidobacterium and Bartonella, varying in relative abundance among island and habitat groups. Beta-diversity analyses showed significant group-associated differentiation in bacterial community composition (ANOSIM R = 0.444, p = 0.001), indicating that gut microbiome structure differed across the sampled island–habitat groups. Differential-abundance analyses identified candidate bacterial taxa associated with specific groups, suggesting that microbiome divergence was driven mainly by shifts in the relative abundance of shared bacterial lineages rather than complete replacement of dominant taxa. Predicted functional profiling further indicated that the taxonomic variation was accompanied by differences in putative functional potential. These findings suggest that the gut microbiota of T. laeviceps carries a detectable island and habitat-associated signal and highlight host-associated microbial communities as an underexplored dimension of tropical island biogeography. Because island identity and position relative to the Wallace Line are not independent in this design, these results should be interpreted as island associated microbiome variation within a Wallace Line context, not as direct evidence of a causal Wallace Line effect. Full article

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder associated with gut dysbiosis and tryptophan metabolism disturbance, but the mechanisms of probiotic action are unclear. We orally administered Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 live bacteria (1.0 × 10⁹ CFU/mL, 0.2 mL) or its fermentation supernatant lyophilized powder at three concentrations to MPTP-induced PD male C57BL/6J mice. Treatments increased locomotor distance and speed, elevated serum SOD and GSH, reduced MDA, TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β, promoted neuronal survival, and tended to increase TH expression in the substantia nigra. 16S rRNA sequencing showed that treatments altered gut microbiota composition. PD mice had increased Lactobacillus and Allobaculum but decreased Oscillospira and Helicobacter; treatments restored Oscillospira. Fecal untargeted metabolomics revealed disturbed tryptophan metabolism in PD, with elevated indoleacetic acid and reduced kynurenic acid, xanthurenic acid, indole-3-ethanol, and α-oxo-1H-indole-3-propanoic acid. Treatments significantly restored neuroprotective metabolites including kynurenic acid, xanthurenic acid, and serotonin. PICRUSt2 predicted tryptophan synthesis pathway-associated microbes (Oscillospira, Ruminococcus, Coprococcus). Treatments ameliorated motor deficits, oxidative stress, inflammation, and dopaminergic neuron death, correlating with gut microbiota modulation and accumulation of microbiota-derived tryptophan metabolites. Live bacteria showed superior antioxidant and neuroprotective efficacy compared to supernatant, likely due to sustained colonization and continuous metabolic activity. These findings suggest that targeting key tryptophan-metabolizing bacteria or their metabolites may be a potential PD therapy. Full article

This study selected three lactic acid bacteria strains (Lactiplantibacillus plantarum CGMCC 1.12974, Limosilactobacillus fermentum CICC 22704, and Lactobacillus acidophilus CICC 22162) to pre-ferment brown and polished glutinous rice grains followed by semi-dry milling, aiming to systematically compare the differential effects of various strain treatments on the structure, functionality, and flavor of glutinous rice flour. Pre-fermentation decreased protein content (11.23–20.80% in polished flour, 0.14–2.45% in brown flour), enriched γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA, up to 6.94 mg/100 g), increased relative crystallinity and gelatinization enthalpy, and altered hydration properties. Dumplings from fermented flours showed higher soup transmittance (up to 44.93% in the brown rice group), reduced hardness (24.82–67.32%) and chewiness, and improved cohesiveness and resilience. Volatile profiles shifted towards higher acids and esters and lower alcohols, aldehydes and ketones, with strain-specific features. Redundancy analysis confirmed that starch became the dominant texture-determining factor after fermentation. Among the three strains, Lp. plantarum CGMCC 1.12974 exhibited the best improvement for most quality attributes. In conclusion, pre-fermentation of rice grains effectively enhances whiteness, GABA content, textural softness, and flavor diversity of semi-dry milled glutinous rice flours. Full article