The Functional Interplay between Gut Microbiota, Protein Hydrolysates/Bioactive Peptides, and Obesity: A Critical Review on the Study Advances

Abstract

Diet is an essential factor determining the ratio of pathogenic and beneficial gut microbiota. Hydrolysates and bioactive peptides have been described as crucial ingredients from food protein that potentially impact human health beyond their roles as nutrients. These compounds can exert benefits in the body, including modulation of the gut microbiota, and thus, they can reduce metabolic disorders. This review summarized studies on the interaction between hydrolysates/peptides, gut microbes, and obesity, focusing on how hydrolysates/peptides influence gut microbiota composition and function that improve body weight. Findings revealed that gut microbes could exert anti-obesity effects by controlling the host’s energy balance and food intake. They also exhibit activity against obesity-induced inflammation by changing the expression of inflammatory-related transcription factors. Protein hydrolysates/peptides can suppress the growth of pro-obesity gut bacteria but facilitate the proliferation of those with anti-obesity effects. The compounds provide growth factors to the beneficial gut bacteria and also improve their resistance against extreme pH. Hydrolysates/peptides are good candidates to target obesity and obesity-related complications. Thus, they can allow the development of novel strategies to fight incidences of obesity. Future studies are needed to understand absorption fate, utilization by gut microbes, and stability of hydrolysates/peptides in the gut under obesity.

A comprehensive review of specific activity and intrinsic connections of food‐derived bioactive peptides for human health

“…These effects led to elevated insulin levels and the restoration of equilibrium between fat storage and expenditure mechanisms within white adipose tissue. Gut microbiota modulation: Gut microbiota metabolites play key roles in obesity pathogenesis. Based on the microbiome‐metabolomics insights, egg white hydrolysates, soybean protein hydrolysates, and others are reported to exhibit anti‐obesity effects via modulation of certain gut microbiota, including Lactobacillus/Enterococcus , Clostridium leptum , Lachnospiraceae , and Lactobacillaceae , changing metabolites, SCFAs, and other parameters in human body (Aloo & Oh, 2022; Guo et al., 2022). …”

Transepithelial transport and cellular mechanisms of food-derived antioxidant peptides

“…Unabsorbed bioactive peptides may also influence the gut microbiota population and metabolism in a way to generate a positive oxidative state. Future studies should consider establishing the role of gut microbiota on the antioxidant properties of unabsorbed FDAPs, considering that gut microbiota have been proposed to mediate other health-promoting effects of bioactive peptides [ 70 , 71 , 72 ].…”

Campylobacter jejuni and casein hydrolysate addition: Impact on poultry in vitro cecal microbiota and metabolome

“…Thus, the strategic use of enzyme combinations to target specific substrates in feed, which synergize with endogenous enzymes, has become highly valuable in the poultry industry. Aloo and Oh and Martinez-Lopez et al highlight the role of hydrolysates and peptides in balancing GIT bacteria [3,4]. Aloo and Oh's review explores how peptides and hydrolyzed proteins shape GIT microbiota, impacting digestion and growth rate [3].…”