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Decreased Abundance of Firmicutes in the Gut Microbiota After Consumption of a Diet Containing Milk Fats
Author(s) -
Walsh Helen,
Haq Hira,
Cersosimo Laura,
Kien Craig Lawrence,
Kraft Jana
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.30.1_supplement.683.11
Subject(s) - firmicutes , biology , feces , gut flora , food science , type 2 diabetes , physiology , endocrinology , diabetes mellitus , bacteria , microbiology and biotechnology , immunology , 16s ribosomal rna , genetics
Intestinal microbiota play a relevant role in health maintenance and disease prevention. Diet has been shown to influence the intestinal bacterial density, communities, and subsequently their functions. Recent studies have indicated that a diet high in fat causes changes in the intestinal microbiota affecting the host's metabolic phenotype. However, little is known about the relationship between fat quality and bacterial community structure. Several studies have linked the intestinal bacterial composition with the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes and recent research provides evidence that the consumption of high‐fat dairy products is associated with a reduction in the risk of type 2 diabetes. We hypothesized that a diet containing dairy fat would shift the intestinal bacterial structure as a result of the unique ruminant‐derived fatty acids. Twelve healthy adults (6 male; mean ± SEM, age: 27.2 ± 1.7 y; body mass index: 23.0 ± 0.9 kg/m 2 ) were included in an 8‐wk randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled feeding trial. After a 1‐wk run‐in period, subjects consumed a balanced DASH‐style diet for two 3‐wk interventions (separated by a 1‐wk washout period reflecting a representative U.S. diet) with either 3 servings of whole yogurt (milk fat diet; MF) or fat‐free yogurt supplemented with a control fat (control diet, CON). Fecal samples were collected at the end of each diet intervention for the analysis of intestinal bacterial composition using next‐generation sequencing. From the total sequence reads, Firmicutes were the most abundant bacterial phylum during CON (57.2 ± 7.0%) and were lower after MF (49.9 ± 5.0%, P = 0.040). Diet did not affect the abundance of the phylum Bacteroidetes. The Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio of the intestinal microbiota was lower after MF compared to CON (MF: 2.9 ± 1.1%, CON: 4.5 ± 1.5%; P = 0.047). The relative abundance of the class Bacilli was lower ( P = 0.023) after MF consumption (0.88 ±0.19) compared to the CON (2.10 ± 0.45) and family Streptococcaceae ( P = 0.026) was lower after MF consumption (0.82 ± 0.18%) when compared to the CON (1.90 ± 0.4%). No statistically significant differences were observed in other bacterial classes, orders, or families. Our results indicate that milk‐derived fat modifies the distribution of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes, the two major phyla inhabiting the human intestinal tract. Support or Funding Information This trial was funded by the Dairy Research Institute/National Dairy Council (Rosemont, IL).