The Optimal DX Research Blog

A Healthy Lifestyle Supports Host and Microbiota Health

Written by ODX Research | Sep 18, 2024 7:30:00 AM

According to the WHO, metabolic dysfunction, characterized by higher adiposity and BMI, hyperglycemia, high blood lipids, and high blood pressure, accounts for 20% of total health loss. If left unchecked, these dysfunctions manifest as obesity, type 2 diabetes (T2DM), non-alcoholic/metabolic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and cardiovascular disease.

The preventive care recipe remains the same: regular physical exercise, general activity, a healthy, plant-based diet, and a healthy gut microbiome.

Exercise

A sedentary lifestyle leads to cardiometabolic dysfunction, while regular exercise can help prevent it. A healthy exercise habit includes moderate-intensity exercise performed for at least 30 minutes per day, at least five days per week, or high-intensity exercise for at least 20 minutes per day, at least three days per week. However, excessive high-intensity exercise can promote inflammation and can be detrimental to gastrointestinal health.

Moderate exercise can:

  • Reduce blood pressure and adiposity
  • Decrease serum triglycerides
  • Improve insulin sensitivity
  • Restore glucose homeostasis
  • Increase HDL cholesterol levels
  • Suppress pro-inflammatory cytokines
  • Regulate immune-inflammatory responses
  • Decrease oxidative stress
  • Help clear damaged mitochondria
  • Support GI microbial diversity (obesity, NAFLD, T2DM, and CVD are associated with reduced gut microbial diversity).
  • Support gut microbiota which:
    • Produce beneficial metabolites such as butyrate
    • Support intestinal barrier integrity
    • Modulate the immune system
    • Protect the host from pathogens
    • Regulate insulin signaling

Effect of physical exercise on gut microbiota and host health

Diet and Nutrition

The Mediterranean diet is an example of a balanced diet that incorporates healthy sources of complex carbohydrates, lean protein, beneficial fats, vitamins, minerals, and polyphenol plant-based phytonutrients. Such a pattern supports host and microbiota health and function, unlike Western diets or ketogenic patterns, which can adversely affect both.

The effect of dietary patterns on health mediated by gut microbiota

Dietary
Pattern

Characteristic

Changes of Gut
Microbiota

Effect

WD

High consumption of saturated and trans fatty acids, refined grains, sugar, salt, alcohol, and other harmful elements; Low content of complex dietary fiber.

Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio↑
Alistipes↑
Bilophila↑
Bifidobacteria↓

Systemic chronic inflammation and LPS translocation;
Increase the risk of disease.

MD

High intake of whole grains and vegetables; olive oil as the lipid supply; A regular but moderate consumption of fish and other meat, dairy products, and red wine.

Bifidobacteria↑
Lactobacillus↑
Clostridium↑
Faecalibacterium↑
Oscillospira↑
Ruminococcus↓
Coprococcus↓

Improve the gut barrier integrity;
Protect against oxidative stress and inflammation;
Reduce the total mortality and the risk of cardiovascular, metabolic, and gastrointestinal diseases.

KD

High-fat, adequate-protein, and low-carbohydrate.

Akkermansia↑
Parabacteroides↑
Escherichia↓
Shigella↓

Nutritionally inadequate in fiber, necessary vitamins, minerals, and iron.

IF

Manipulate meal time to improve body composition and overall health, including time-restricted feeding, alternate-day fasting, and religious fasting.

Akkermansia↑
Lactobacillus↑
Desulfovibrio↓
Turicibacter↓

Improve gut epithelial integrity, the leaking LPS, and blunted systemic inflammation;
Improve metabolic profiles and reduce the risk of obesity and obesity-related conditions.

VD

Reduce or restrict animal-derived foods; High intake of plant-sourced foods.

Bacteroides/Prevotella ratio↑
Clostridium↑
Faecalibacterium↑
Bifidobacteria↓

Reduce caloric intake but nutritional deficiency of fatty acids, proteins, vitamins, and minerals;
Prevent and better control of chronic diseases.

GD

The exclusion of gluten-containing cereals like wheat, rye, barley and hybrids.

Bifidobacterium ↓
Lactobacillus↓
Enterobacteriaceae↑
Escherichia coli↑

Appropriate for treatment of celiac disease, dermatitis herpetiformis, and gluten ataxia.

WD = Western diet, MD = Mediterranean diet, KD = ketogenic diet, IF = intermittent fasting, VD = vegetarian diet, GD = gluten-free diet, ↑ = up-regulate, ↓ = down-regulate.

Optimal Takeaway

Combine exercise, physical activity, diet, and a healthy gut microbiota to reduce the risk of cardiometabolic disease.

 

Reference

Zhang, Li et al. “Combined Physical Exercise and Diet: Regulation of Gut Microbiota to Prevent and Treat of Metabolic Disease: A Review.” Nutrients vol. 14,22 4774. 11 Nov. 2022, doi:10.3390/nu14224774 This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).