Substituting whole grains for refined grains in a 6-wk randomized trial has a modest effect on gut microbiota and immune and inflammatory markers of healthy adults.
Background:Observational studies suggest an inverse association between whole-grain (WG) consumption and inflammation. However, evidence from interventional studies is limited, and few studies have included measurements of cell-mediated immunity.Objective:We assessed the effects of diets rich in WGs compared with refined grains (RGs) on immune and inflammatory responses, gut microbiota, and microbial products in healthy adults while maintaining subject body weights.Design:After a 2-wk provided-food run-in period of consuming a Western-style diet, 49 men and 32 postmenopausal women [age range: 40-65 y, body mass index (in kg/m2) <35] were assigned to consume 1 of 2 provided-food weight-maintenance diets for 6 wk.Results:Compared with the RG group, the WG group had increased plasma total alkyresorcinols (a measure of WG intake) (P< 0.0001), stool weight (P< 0.0001), stool frequency (P= 0.02), and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) producerLachnospira[false-discovery rate (FDR)-correctedP= 0.25] but decreased pro-inflammatoryEnterobacteriaceae(FDR-correctedP= 0.25). Changes in stool acetate (P= 0.02) and total SCFAs (P= 0.05) were higher in the WG group than in the RG group. A positive association was shown betweenLachnospiraand acetate (FDR-correctedP= 0.002) or butyrate (FDR-correctedP= 0.005). We also showed that there was a higher percentage of terminal effector memory T cells (P= 0.03) and LPS-stimulated ex vivo production of tumor necrosis factor-α (P= 0.04) in the WG group than in the RG group, which were positively associated with plasma alkylresorcinol concentrations.Conclusion:The short-term consumption of WGs in a weight-maintenance diet increases stool weight and frequency and has modest positive effects on gut microbiota, SCFAs, effector memory T cells, and the acute innate immune response and no effect on other markers of cell-mediated immunity or systemic and gut inflammation. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01902394.
Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging.|Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, and.
Sally M
SM
Vanegas
Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging.
Mohsen
M
Meydani
Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging.
Junaidah B
JB
Barnett
Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, and.|School of Medicine, Tufts University, Boston, MA.
Barry
B
Goldin
School of Medicine, Tufts University, Boston, MA.
Anne
A
Kane
Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging.
Helen
H
Rasmussen
Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging.
Carrie
C
Brown
Bioinformatics and Computational Biology and.
Pajau
P
Vangay
Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN; and.
Dan
D
Knights
Bell Institute of Health and Nutrition, General Mills, Minneapolis, MN.
Satya
S
Jonnalagadda
Bell Institute of Health and Nutrition, General Mills, Minneapolis, MN.
Katie
K
Koecher
Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging.
J Philip
JP
Karl
Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging.
Michael
M
Thomas
Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging.
Gregory
G
Dolnikowski
Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging.
Lijun
L
Li
Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging.|Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, and.
Edward
E
Saltzman
Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, dayong.wu@tufts.edu simin.meydani@tufts.edu.
Dayong
D
Wu
Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, dayong.wu@tufts.edu simin.meydani@tufts.edu.
Simin Nikbin
SN
Meydani
D019342:Acetic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D000368:Aged; D001419:Bacteria / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D000068959:Body Weight Maintenance; D002087:Butyrates / Q000378:metabolism; D003672:Defecation; D004032:Diet; D004043:Dietary Fiber / Q000494:pharmacology; D004755:Enterobacteriaceae / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D005243:Feces; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D000069196:Gastrointestinal Microbiome; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D007249:Inflammation / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012118:Resorcinols / Q000097:blood; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism; D000067348:Whole Grains
D015415:Biomarkers; D002087:Butyrates; D004043:Dietary Fiber; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D012118:Resorcinols; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D019342:Acetic Acid
gut microbiota; healthy adults; immune; inflammation; whole grains