Understanding the Impact of Omega-3 Rich Diet on the Gut Microbiota

Abstract

Background. Recently, the importance of the gut microbiota in the pathogenesis of several disorders has gained clinical interests. Among exogenous factors affecting gut microbiome, diet appears to have the largest effect. Fatty acids, especially omega-3 polyunsaturated, ameliorate a range of several diseases, including cardiometabolic and inflammatory and cancer. Fatty acids associated beneficial effects may be mediated, to an important extent, through changes in gut microbiota composition. We sought to understand the changes of the gut microbiota in response to an omega-3 rich diet. Case Presentation. This case study investigated changes of gut microbiota with an omega-3 rich diet. Fecal samples were collected from a 45-year-old male who consumed 600 mg of omega-3 daily for 14 days. After the intervention, species diversity was decreased, but several butyrate-producing bacteria increased. There was an important decrease in Faecalibacterium prausnitzii and Akkermansia spp. Gut microbiota changes were reverted after the 14-day washout. Conclusion. Some of the health-related benefits of omega-3 may be due, in part, to increases in butyrate-producing bacteria. These findings may shed light on the mechanisms explaining the effects of omega-3 in several chronic diseases and may also serve as an existing foundation for tailoring personalized medical treatments.

A randomised trial of the effect of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid supplements on the human intestinal microbiota

“…There has been only one case report of the effect of an omega-3 PUFA-rich diet on human intestinal microbiota 11. In this case, there was a notable increase in several SCFA (butyrate)-producing genera including Blautia , Bacterioides , Roseburia and Coprococcus 11…”

Omega-3 Therapy Is Associated With Reduced Gastrointestinal Bleeding in Patients With Continuous-Flow Left Ventricular Assist Device

“…Last, using next-generation sequencing, the gut microbiome has been described and implicated in multiple disease processes, including GIB, 27 and its fingerprint can be modified by omega-3 administration. 28 Assessment of changes in the microbiome during omega-3 therapy may further elucidate the mechanism by which omega-3 suppresses GIB.…”

Maternal Diet Supplementation with n-6/n-3 Essential Fatty Acids in a 1.2 : 1.0 Ratio Attenuates Metabolic Dysfunction in MSG-Induced Obese Mice

“…In this respect, on the fight against public health burden due to human's metabolic diseases around the world, the equilibrate n-6/n-3 ratio diet and/or seafood dietary ingestion is a healthy recommendation. It might be helpful and protect against the onset of metabolic syndrome in human population [39, 53, 54]. In the present study, beyond different possible mechanisms, it might also be a suggestive mechanism behind the metabolic amelioration observed in the MSG-obese mice.…”

“…These data indicate that PUFAs are able to induce programming in the offspring that provides a certain resistance against metabolic deterioration. A previous study using a similar ratio of n-6/n-3 fatty acids in pregnant rats has shown that the offspring exhibited an improvement in early brain development [6], and amelioration in metabolic impairment has been reported to be induced by PUFAs dietary consumption [39, 40]. The data presented herein suggest that n-6/n-3 fatty acids in a ratio of 1.2 : 1.0 exert by somehow a sort of protection attenuating the deleterious central effects of MSG treatment.…”

“…High n-3/n-6 PUFAs ratio was strongly implicated in improving obesity-linked metabolic disturbances [39, 49]. Given that, it is remarkable that this amelioration has been associated with n-3 PUFAs action on preventing adipose inflammatory process [50], as well as on modulating changes in gut microbiota [39, 51], which is known to be strongly involved in obesity and metabolic syndrome development both in human and in animal model [52]. In this respect, on the fight against public health burden due to human's metabolic diseases around the world, the equilibrate n-6/n-3 ratio diet and/or seafood dietary ingestion is a healthy recommendation.…”