Mediterranean Diet And Physical Activity Are Great For Gut Health

Eat Mediterranean, keep moving, and your health will dramatically improve. The combination of the Mediterranean diet with physical exercise positively impacts gut bacteria, leading to benefits for the heart and overall well-being.

A recent study in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reveals the significant cardiovascular benefits of combining a low-calorie Mediterranean diet with physical activity. This research indicates that these lifestyle changes influence cardiovascular health by modifying the bacterial composition and metabolite production in the colon. These findings mark a significant step forward in comprehending preventive measures against cardiovascular diseases, which are the leading cause of death in developed countries.

The Mediterranean diet has long been associated with positive gut microbes and metabolites, although its impact on the fecal metabolome remains poorly understood. This diet typically involves high consumption of vegetables, fruits, legumes, and nuts, moderate intake of fish, limited meat consumption, and moderate alcohol consumption, with extra virgin olive oil as the primary fat source. Increased adherence to the Mediterranean diet is linked to beneficial gut bacteria and metabolites due to elevated fiber-degrading species and anti-inflammatory responses.

However, the effects of this diet on gut microbiota and plasma metabolome vary across studies. In a recent study, researchers aimed to evaluate the weight-loss effects of a year-long lifestyle intervention based on an energy-reduced Mediterranean diet with physical activity compared to an ad libitum Mediterranean diet on fecal metabolites, microbiota, and their associations with cardiovascular disease risk factors.

The intervention impacted four stool metabolites, primarily consisting of bile acids, ceramides, sphingosines, fatty acids, carnitines, nucleotides, and purine and Krebs cycle metabolites. The study involved 400 participants aged 55 to 75 with high cardiovascular risk, and data were collected at baseline and after a year. The intervention group showed greater weight loss and improved cardiovascular risk factors compared to the control group, with changes associated with alterations in cardiovascular disease risk factors.

Moreover, certain gut bacteria genera were reduced, and alpha diversity increased in the intervention group. The results suggested an interplay between diet, metabolites, and gut microbiota, shedding light on mechanisms underlying improved cardiometabolic biomarkers. Understanding the impact of these interventions on the gut microbiome could inform targeted public health strategies and personalized health recommendations for the prevention and management of cardiometabolic diseases.

Source: sciencedirect.com