Daily Fermented Whey Consumption Alters the Fecal Short-Chain Fatty Acid Profile in Healthy Adults

Lactic acid bacteria and yeast co-fermented milk alleviate cow milk allergy

Cow milk allergy is one of the common food allergies. Our previous study showed that the allergenicity of fermented milk is lower than that of unfermented skimmed milk in vitro, and the antigenicity of β-lactoglobulin and α-lactalbumin in fermented milk was decreased by 67.54% and 80.49%, respectively. To confirm its effects in vivo, allergic BALB/C mice model was used to further study the allergenicity of fermented milk. It was found that compared with the skim milk (SM) group, the intragastrically sensitization with fermented milk had no obvious allergic symptoms and the fingers were more stable: lower levels of IgE, IgG, and IgA in serum, lower levels of plasma histamine and mast cell protein-1, and immune balance of Th1/Th2 and Treg/Th17. At the same time, intragastrically sensitization with fermented milk increased the α diversity of intestinal microbiota and changed the microbiota abundance: the relative abundance of norank-f-Muribaculaceae and Staphylococcus significantly decreased, and the abundance of Lachnospiraceae NK4A136 group, Bacteroides, and Turicibacter increased. In addition, fermented milk can also increase the level of short-chain fatty acids in the intestines of mice. It turns out that fermented milk is much less allergenicity than SM. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Fermentation provides a theoretical foundation for reducing the allergenicity of milk and dairy products, thereby facilitating the production of low-allergenic dairy products suitable for individuals with milk allergies.

The potential benefits and mechanisms of protein nutritional intervention on bone health improvement

Osteoporosis commonly occurs in the older people and severe patients, with the main reason of the imbalance of bone metabolism (the rate of bone resorption exceeding the rate of bone formation), resulting in a decrease in bone mineral density and destruction of bone microstructure and further leading to the increased risk of fragility fracture. Recent studies indicate that protein nutritional support is beneficial for attenuating osteoporosis and improving bone health. This review summarized the classical mechanisms of protein intervention for alleviating osteoporosis on both suppressing bone resorption and regulating bone formation related pathways (promoting osteoblasts generation and proliferation, enhancing calcium absorption, and increasing collagen and mineral deposition), as well as the potential novel mechanisms via activating autophagy of osteoblasts, altering bone related miRNA profiles, regulating muscle-bone axis, and modulating gut microbiota abundance. Protein nutritional intervention is expected to provide novel approaches for the prevention and adjuvant therapy of osteoporosis.

Explorative Characterization of GI Complaints, General Physical and Mental Wellbeing, and Gut Microbiota in Trained Recreative and Competitive Athletes with or without Self-Reported Gastrointestinal Symptoms

The current state of the literature lacks a clear characterization of gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms, gut microbiota composition, and general physical and mental wellbeing in well-trained athletes. Therefore, this study aimed to characterize differences in self-reported symptoms, gut microbiota composition, and wellbeing (i.e., sleep quality, mood, and physical (PHQ) and mental wellbeing) between athletes with and without GI symptoms. In addition, we assessed the potential impact of a 3-week multi-ingredient fermented whey supplement in the GI complaints group, without a control group, on the gut microbiota and self-reported GI symptoms and wellbeing. A total of 50 athletes (24.7 ± 4.5 years) with GI issues (GI group at baseline, GI-B) and 21 athletes (25.4 ± 5.3 years) without GI issues (non-GI group, NGI) were included. At baseline, there was a significant difference in the total gastrointestinal symptom rating scale (GSRS) score (24.1 ± 8.48 vs. 30.3 ± 8.82, p = 0.008) and a trend difference in PHQ (33.9 ± 10.7 vs. 30.3 ± 8.82, p = 0.081), but no differences (p > 0.05) were seen for other outcomes, including gut microbiota metrics, between groups. After 3-week supplementation, the GI group (GI-S) showed increased Bifidobacterium relative abundance (p < 0.05), reported a lower number of severe GI complaints (from 72% to 54%, p < 0.001), and PHQ declined (p = 0.010). In conclusion, well-trained athletes with GI complaints reported more severe GI symptoms than an athletic reference group, without showing clear differences in wellbeing or microbiota composition. Future controlled research should further investigate the impact of such multi-ingredient supplements on GI complaints and the associated changes in gut health-related markers.

The functionalities and applications of whey/whey protein in fermented foods: a review

Whey, a major by-product of cheese production, is primarily composed of whey protein (WP). To mitigate environmental pollution, it is crucial to identify effective approaches for fully utilizing the functional components of whey or WP to produce high-value-added products. This review aims to illustrate the active substances with immunomodulatory, metabolic syndrome-regulating, antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory activities produced by whey or WP through fermentation processes, and summarizes the application and the effects of whey or WP on nutritional properties and health promotion in fermented foods. All these findings indicate that whey or WP can serve as a preservative, a source of high-protein dietary, and a source of physiologically active substance in the production of fermented foods. Therefore, expanding the use of whey or WP in fermented foods is of great importance for converting whey into value-added products, as well as reducing whey waste and potential contamination.

Recent advances in developing butyrogenic functional foods to promote gut health

As one of the major short-chain fatty acids produced via microbial fermentation, butyrate serves as not only a preferred energy substrate but also an important signaling molecule. Butyrate concentrations in circulation, tissues, and gut luminal contents have important pathophysiological implications. The genetic capacity of butyrate biosynthesis by the gut microbiota is frequently compromised during aging and various disorders, such as inflammatory bowel disease, metabolic disorders and colorectal cancer. Substantial efforts have been made to identify potent butyrogenic substrates and butyrate-hyperproducing bacteria to compensate for butyrate deficiency. Interindividual butyrogenic responses exist, which are more strongly predicted by heterogeneity in the gut microbiota composition than by ingested prebiotic substrates. In this review, we catalog major food types rich in butyrogenic substrates. We also discuss the potential of butyrogenic foods with proven properties for promoting gut health and disease management using findings from clinical trials. Potential limitations and constraints in the current research are highlighted. We advocate a precise nutrition approach in designing future clinical trials by prescreening individuals for key gut microbial signatures when recruiting study volunteers. The information provided in this review will be conducive to the development of microbiota engineering approaches for enhancing the sustained production of butyrate.

Putative Pathobionts in HLA-B27-Associated Spondyloarthropathy

Spondyloarthritis (SpA) is a group of immune mediated inflammatory diseases with a strong association to the major histocompatibility (MHC) class I molecule, HLA-B27. Although the association between HLA-B27 and AS has been known for almost 50 years, the mechanisms underlying disease pathogenesis are elusive. Over the years, three hypotheses have been proposed to explain HLA-B27 and disease association: 1) HLA B27 presents arthritogenic peptides and thus creates a pathological immune response; 2) HLA-B27 misfolding causes endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress which activates the unfolded protein response (UPR); 3) HLA-B27 dimerizes on the cell surface and acts as a target for natural killer (NK) cells. None of these hypotheses explains SpA pathogenesis completely. Evidence supports the hypothesis that HLA-B27-related diseases have a microbial pathogenesis. In animal models of various SpAs, a germ-free environment abrogates disease development and colonizing these animals with gut commensal microbes can restore disease manifestations. The depth of microbial influence on SpA development has been realized due to our ability to characterize microbial communities in the gut using next-generation sequencing approaches. In this review, we will discuss various putative pathobionts in the pathogenesis of HLA-B27-associated diseases. We pursue whether a single pathobiont or a disruption of microbial community and function is associated with HLA-B27-related diseases. Furthermore, rather than a specific pathobiont, metabolic functions of various disease-associated microbes might be key. While the use of germ-free models of SpA have facilitated understanding the role of microbes in disease development, future studies with animal models that mimic diverse microbial communities instead of mono-colonization are indispensable. We discuss the causal mechanisms underlying disease pathogenesis including the role of these pathobionts on mucin degradation, mucosal adherence, and gut epithelial barrier disruption and inflammation. Finally, we review the various uses of microbes as therapeutic modalities including pre/probiotics, diet, microbial metabolites and fecal microbiota transplant. Unravelling these complex host-microbe interactions will lead to the development of new targets/therapies for alleviation of SpA and other HLA-B27 associated diseases.