Manipulating the activity of the gut microbiota with fermentable carbohydrates to maximise the bioavailability of bioactive phenolic acids for health

现在人们普遍认识到，主要多酚类的大部分代谢发生在大肠中，在常驻微生物群的控制下。微生物群将母体多酚降解为一系列中间产物和终产物，如酚酸。这些中间体和最终产品的健康益处的证据正在出现，并且与母体化合物相比，它们的生物利用度高，它们可以在很大程度上解释多酚的许多生物效应。驱动大肠中微生物群代谢活动的主要底物是主要来自膳食纤维的可发酵碳水化合物。我们的初步证据表明，在大肠中碳水化合物发酵和多酚代谢之间存在相互作用。然而，为了预测和操纵肠道微生物群代谢多酚的方式，有必要更好地了解这种相互作用。用可发酵碳水化合物操纵微生物群将模拟正常饮食条件下的全食物情景，此时多酚与可发酵碳水化合物一起从食物中释放。可发酵的碳水化合物组分将影响微生物群的活性，从而影响多酚中间体和终产物的生物利用度。此外，多酚还可能具有益生元和抗菌特性，与可发酵碳水化合物一起可以促进与健康相关的微生物组。该项目将为可发酵碳水化合物和多酚之间的关系以及肠道微生物群在介导富含多酚的食物的健康益处中所起的作用提供新的见解。重要的是，它还将告知工业界关于使酚酸的生物利用度最大化的组合物以及这些组合物在介导多酚对健康的保护作用中所起的作用。随着压力的增加，特别是在饮料市场中，减少糖摄入量，用替代碳水化合物代替糖可能是优化多酚摄入量和多酚生物功效的重要途径。

It is now widely recognised that much of the metabolism of the major polyphenol classes occurs in the large intestine, under the control of the resident microbiota. The microbiota degrades parent polyphenolics to a range of intermediates and end-products such as phenolic acids. Evidence is emerging for the health benefits of these intermediates and end-products and given their high bioavailability in comparison to the parent compounds, they may explain in a large part many of the biological effects of polyphenolics.The main substrates driving metabolic activity of the microbiota in the large intestine are fermentable carbohydrates derived largely from dietary fibre. Our preliminary evidence suggests that there is an interaction between carbohydrate fermentation and polyphenol metabolism in the large intestine. However, a greater understanding of this interaction is necessary in order to predict and manipulate the way polyphenols are metabolised by the gut microbiota. Manipulating the microbiota with fermentable carbohydrates will mimic the whole-food scenario under normal dietary conditions when polyphenols are released from foods alongside fermentable carbohydrate. The fermentable carbohydrate component will influence the activity of the microbiota and therefore the bioavailability of polyphenolic intermediates and end-products. In addition, the polyphenols may also act with prebiotic and antimicrobial properties, which together with fermentable carbohydrate may promote a more health associated microbiome.This project will provide new insights into the relationship between fermentable carbohydrates and polyphenols and the role the gut microbiota plays in mediating the health benefits of polyphenol rich foods. Importantly it will also inform Industry about compositions which maximise the bioavailability of phenolic acids and the role these play in mediating the protective effects of polyphenols in health. With increasing pressure, particularly in the beverage market, to reduce sugar intake, replacement of sugar with alternative carbohydrates may be an important avenue to optimising polyphenol intake and polyphenol bioefficacy.