Abstract
Background: Live dietary microbes have been hypothesized to contribute to human health but direct evidence is lacking. Objectives: This study aimed to determine whether the dietary consumption of live microbes is linked to improved health outcomes. Methods: Data from the NHANES 2001–2018 were used to assess microbial intake and their adjusted associations with selected physiological parameters (e.g., blood pressure, anthropometric measures, and biomarkers) among adults aged 19 y and older. Regression models were constructed to assess the microbial intake with each physiological parameter and adjusted for demographics and other covariates. Microbial intake was assessed as both a continuous variable and a 3-level categorical variable. Fermented foods were assessed in a separate model. Results: In continuous models, an additional 100-g intake of microbe–containing foods was associated with a lower systolic blood pressure (regression coefficient: −0.331; 95% CI: −0.447, −0.215 mm Hg), C-reactive protein (−0.013; 95% CI: −0.019, −0.008 mg/dL), plasma glucose −0.347; 95% CI: −0.570, −0.124 mg/dL), plasma insulin (−0.201; 95% CI: −0.304, −0.099 μU/mL), triglyceride (−1.389; 95% CI: −2.672, −0.106 mg/dL), waist circumference (−0.554; 95% CI: −0.679, −0.428 cm), and BMI −0.217; 95% CI: −0.273, −0.160 kg/m2) levels and a higher level of high density lipoprotein cholesterols (0.432; 95% CI: 0.289, 0.574 mg/dL). Patterns were broadly similar when microbial intake was assessed categorically and when fermented foods were assessed separately. Conclusions: To our knowledge, this study is the first to quantify, in a nationally representative data set of American adults and using stable sets of covariates in the regression models, the adjusted associations of dietary intakes of live microbes with a variety of outcomes, such as anthropometric measures, biomarkers, and blood pressure levels. Our findings suggest that foods with higher microbial concentrations are associated with modest health improvements across a range of outcomes.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1143-1149 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | Journal of Nutrition |
| Volume | 153 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Apr 2023 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:This study supports that consumption of foods with higher microbial concentrations is associated with a better health across a range of outcomes, such as lower systolic blood pressure, C-reactive protein, plasma glucose, plasma insulin, triglyceride, waist circumference, and BMI levels and a higher HDL cholesterol level. These findings provide preliminary evidence to support the hypothesis that foods containing live microbes may provide health benefits to consumers and suggest the value, if supported by additional research, of a recommendation for live microbes in healthy eating patterns, similar to the current recommendation for fiber [2,38–41]. Furthermore, additional research to disentangle the benefits of the food from the microbes they provide is needed, to clarify our understanding of what drives observed health benefits of foods containing live microbes, including fermented foods. If subsequent research supports a causal relationship between live dietary microbes and health and the magnitude of these effects are confirmed, the potential effect of this dietary change could be substantive.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 The Authors
Keywords
- fermented food
- health promotion/disease prevention
- International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics
- ISAPP
- live dietary microbes
- NHANES
- probiotics
PubMed: MeSH publication types
- Journal Article
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't