A recent study evaluated how the combination of Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) supplement and dairy foods affected the gut microbiome in Australians at a high risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD).
Study
The current randomized controlled trial (RCT) followed a 2 × 2 cross-over design to compare the benefits of MedDiet supplemented with dairy food (MedDairy) and low-fat (LFD) diet (control) in Australians at high risk of CVD.
This study recruited adults between the ages of 45 and 75 years. All participants had high systolic blood pressure (SBP) but were not under any medication. Individuals who consumed medicinal levels of calcium or omega-3 supplements daily were excluded.
Participants were randomly assigned to any one of the groups, i.e., MedDairy (Group 1) or LFD (Group 2), and dietary interventions continued for 8 weeks, separated by an 8-week washout phase where participants followed their habitual diet. Complete fecal and clinical samples were collected at baseline and at 8 weeks to assess both groups.
Results
At baseline, there were no significant differences between the study groups. Group 1 contained 18 participants, and group 2 contained 16 participants. All participants who were not following MedDiet at baseline exhibited increased MedDiet adherence through the MedDairy intervention. Along with the MedDiet, participants received 3 to 4 servings of any one of the dairy products, such as low-fat Greek yogurt, low-fat milk, cheese (hard, soft, semi-soft), and tzatziki dip.
Fecal microbiota analysis indicated no significant difference in the overall structure and composition of the fecal microbiota between the two study groups. However, a modest decrease in microbial diversity was observed in the LFD group. It must be noted that the MedDairy diet did not result in a significant change in the gut microbiota but considerably altered the abundance of selected bacterial taxa, such as Butyricicoccus, Lachnospiraceae, and Streptococcus, and a reduction in Colinsella and Veillonella.
Conclusion
The findings of the current study highlighted that 8 weeks of a Mediterranean diet supplemented with dairy foods resulted in changes in the relative abundance of certain bacterial taxa. MedDairy diet enhanced Butyricicoccus, which has a positive effect on systolic blood pressure. Therefore, adherence to the MedDairy diet could reduce CVD risks.
Source:
https://www.news-medical.net/news/20230831/Mediterranean-diet-with-a-dairy-twist-shows-promise-in-lowering-heart-disease-risk.aspx