Issue 9, 2024

Fucoxanthin restructures the gut microbiota and metabolic functions of non-obese individuals in an in vitro fermentation model

Abstract

Fucoxanthin, a carotenoid exclusively derived from algae, exerts its bioactivities with the modulation of the gut microbiota in mice. However, mechanisms through which fucoxanthin regulates the gut microbiota and its derived metabolites/metabolism in humans remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the effects of fucoxanthin on the gut microbiota and metabolism of non-obese individuals using an in vitro simulated digestion-fermentation cascade model. The results showed that about half of the fucoxanthin was not absorbed in the intestine, thus reaching the colon. The gut microbiota from fecal samples underwent significant changes after 48 or 72 hours in vitro fermentation. Specifically, fucoxanthin significantly enhanced the relative abundance of Bacteroidota and Parabacteroides, leading to improved functions of the gut microbiota in its development, glycan biosynthesis and metabolism as well as in improving the digestive system, endocrine system and immune system. The recovery of fucoxanthin during fermentation showed a decreasing trend with the slight bio-conversion of fucoxanthinol. Notably, fucoxanthin supplementation significantly altered metabolites, especially bile acids and indoles in the simulated human gut ecosystem. Correlation analysis indicated the involvement of the gut microbiota in the manipulation of these metabolites by fucoxanthin. Moreover, all these altered metabolites revealed the improvement in the capacity of fucoxanthin in manipulating gut metabolism, especially lipid metabolism. Overall, fucoxanthin determinedly reshaped the gut microbiota and metabolism, implying its potential health benefits in non-obese individuals.

Graphical abstract: Fucoxanthin restructures the gut microbiota and metabolic functions of non-obese individuals in an in vitro fermentation model

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
21 Dec 2023
Accepted
18 Mar 2024
First published
19 Mar 2024

Food Funct., 2024,15, 4805-4817

Fucoxanthin restructures the gut microbiota and metabolic functions of non-obese individuals in an in vitro fermentation model

B. Guo, W. Zhang, Y. Zhou, J. Zhang, C. Zeng, P. Sun and B. Liu, Food Funct., 2024, 15, 4805 DOI: 10.1039/D3FO05671F

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements