The Effects of Intact Cereal Grain Fibers, Including Wheat Bran on the Gut Microbiota Composition of Healthy Adults: A Systematic Review - PubMed (original) (raw)
The Effects of Intact Cereal Grain Fibers, Including Wheat Bran on the Gut Microbiota Composition of Healthy Adults: A Systematic Review
Angie Jefferson et al. Front Nutr. 2019.
Abstract
The human microbiota is increasingly recognized as a major factor influencing health and well-being, with potential benefits as diverse as improved immunity, reduced risk of obesity, Type 2 diabetes, and improved cognition and mood. Bacteria inhabiting the gut are dependent on the provision of fermentable dietary substrates making diet a major factor driving the composition of the human gut microbiota. Dietary fiber may modify microbiota abundance, diversity, and metabolism including short-chain fatty acid production. The majority of research to date has explored isolated fibers, and the influence of habitual fiber consumption is less well-established. The aim of the current article was to systematically review evidence from human intervention studies for the effects of intact cereal fibers, and their active sub-fractions, on gut microbiota composition in healthy adults. Studies published in the past 20 years were identified through the PubMed and Cochrane electronic databases. Inclusion criteria were: healthy adult participants (>18 years), inclusion of at least one intact cereal fiber, or its sub-fraction, and measurement of fecal microbiota related outcomes. As every individual has a unique microbiota many trials utilized a cross-over design where individuals acted as their own control. Outcome measures included change to the microbiota, species diversity, or species abundance, or metabolic indicators of microbiota fermentation such as short chain fatty acids or fecal nitrogen. Two hundred and twenty three publications were identified and 40 included in the final review. In discussing the findings, particular attention has been paid to the effects of wheat fiber, bran, and arabinoxylans (AXOS) as this is the dominant source of fiber in many Western countries. Thirty-nine of the forty-two studies demonstrated an increase in microbiota diversity and/or abundance following intact cereal fiber consumption, with effects apparent from 24 h to 52 weeks. Increases in wheat fiber as low as 6-8 g were sufficient to generate significant effects. Study duration ranged from 1 day to 12 weeks, with a single study over 1 year, and exploration of the stability of the microbiota following long-term dietary change is required. Increasing cereal fiber consumption should be encouraged for overall good health and for gut microbiota diversity.
Keywords: systematic review; cereal fiber; dietary fiber; gut microbiome; gut microbiota; prebiotic; wheat bran; wheat fiber.
Figures
Figure 1
Process of selecting included human studies. Adapted from Moher et al. (10).
Similar articles
- Effect of wheat bran derived prebiotic supplementation on gastrointestinal transit, gut microbiota, and metabolic health: a randomized controlled trial in healthy adults with a slow gut transit.
Müller M, Hermes GDA, Emanuel E C, Holst JJ, Zoetendal EG, Smidt H, Troost F, Schaap FG, Damink SO, Jocken JWE, Lenaerts K, Masclee AAM, Blaak EE. Müller M, et al. Gut Microbes. 2020 Nov 9;12(1):1704141. doi: 10.1080/19490976.2019.1704141. Epub 2020 Jan 25. Gut Microbes. 2020. PMID: 31983281 Free PMC article. Clinical Trial. - Subtle Variations in Dietary-Fiber Fine Structure Differentially Influence the Composition and Metabolic Function of Gut Microbiota.
Tuncil YE, Thakkar RD, Arioglu-Tuncil S, Hamaker BR, Lindemann SR. Tuncil YE, et al. mSphere. 2020 May 6;5(3):e00180-20. doi: 10.1128/mSphere.00180-20. mSphere. 2020. PMID: 32376698 Free PMC article. - [Gut microbiota and grain fiber: evidence and practical recommendations].
Hervert Hernández D. Hervert Hernández D. Nutr Hosp. 2021 Sep 30;38(Spec No2):13-16. doi: 10.20960/nh.03790. Nutr Hosp. 2021. PMID: 34323090 Spanish. - Prebiotic effects: metabolic and health benefits.
Roberfroid M, Gibson GR, Hoyles L, McCartney AL, Rastall R, Rowland I, Wolvers D, Watzl B, Szajewska H, Stahl B, Guarner F, Respondek F, Whelan K, Coxam V, Davicco MJ, Léotoing L, Wittrant Y, Delzenne NM, Cani PD, Neyrinck AM, Meheust A. Roberfroid M, et al. Br J Nutr. 2010 Aug;104 Suppl 2:S1-63. doi: 10.1017/S0007114510003363. Br J Nutr. 2010. PMID: 20920376 Review. - Dietary Fiber Gap and Host Gut Microbiota.
Han M, Wang C, Liu P, Li D, Li Y, Ma X. Han M, et al. Protein Pept Lett. 2017 May 10;24(5):388-396. doi: 10.2174/0929866524666170220113312. Protein Pept Lett. 2017. PMID: 28219317 Review.
Cited by
- Impacts of Whole-Grain Soft Red, Whole-Grain Soft White, and Refined Soft White Wheat Flour Crackers on Gastrointestinal Inflammation and the Gut Microbiota of Adult Humans.
Kinney GA, Haddad EN, Gopalakrishnan N, Sugino KY, Garrow LS, Ng PKW, Comstock SS. Kinney GA, et al. Biology (Basel). 2024 Aug 30;13(9):677. doi: 10.3390/biology13090677. Biology (Basel). 2024. PMID: 39336104 Free PMC article. - Food carbohydrates in the gut: structural diversity, microbial utilization, and analytical strategies.
Lee H, Song J, Lee B, Cha J, Lee H. Lee H, et al. Food Sci Biotechnol. 2024 Jul 26;33(9):2123-2140. doi: 10.1007/s10068-024-01648-3. eCollection 2024 Jul. Food Sci Biotechnol. 2024. PMID: 39130670 Review. - Exploring the cholesterol-lowering effects of cereal bran cell wall-enriched diets.
Tufail T, Saeed F, Tufail T, Bader Ul Ain H, Hussain M, Noreen S, Shah MA. Tufail T, et al. Food Sci Nutr. 2024 Apr 18;12(7):4944-4951. doi: 10.1002/fsn3.4141. eCollection 2024 Jul. Food Sci Nutr. 2024. PMID: 39055199 Free PMC article. - Purified fibers in chemically defined synthetic diets destabilize the gut microbiome of an omnivorous insect model.
Dockman RL, Ottesen EA. Dockman RL, et al. bioRxiv [Preprint]. 2024 Sep 5:2024.05.15.594388. doi: 10.1101/2024.05.15.594388. bioRxiv. 2024. PMID: 38798626 Free PMC article. Preprint.
References
Publication types
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Research Materials
Miscellaneous