Contribution of dietary protein to sulfide production in the large intestine: an in vitro and a controlled feeding study in humans
Open accessAbstract
Background Hydrogen sulfide is a luminally acting, bacterially derived cell poison that has been implicated in ulcerative colitis. Sulfide generation in the colon is probably driven by dietary components such as sulfur-containing amino acids (SAAs) and inorganic sulfur (eg, sulfite).Objective We assessed the contribution of SAAs from meat to sulfide production by intestinal bacteria with use of both a model culture system in vitro and an in vivo human feeding study.Design Five healthy men were housed in a metabolic suite and fed a sequence of 5 diets for 10 d each. Meat intake ranged from 0 g/d with a vegetarian diet to 600 g/d with a high-meat diet. Fecal sulfide and urinary sulfate were measured in samples collected on days 9 and 10 of each diet period. Additionally, 5 or 10 g bovine serum albumin or casein/L was added to batch cultures inoculated with feces from 4 healthy volunteers. Concentrations of sulfide, ammonia, and Lowry-reactive substances were measured over 48 h.Results Mean (+/-SEM) fecal sulfide concentrations ranged from 0.22 +/- 0.02 mmol/kg with the 0-g/d diet to 3.38 +/- 0.31 mmol/kg with the 600-g/d diet and were significantly related to meat intake (P: < 0.001). Sulfide formation in fecal batch cultures supplemented with both bovine serum albumin and casein correlated with protein digestion, as measured by the disappearance of Lowry-reactive substances and the appearance of ammonia.Conclusion Dietary protein from meat is an important substrate for sulfide generation by bacteria in the human large intestine.
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In five male volunteers consuming high intakes of animal protein, fecal sulfide production is related to meat intake; hydrogen sulfide is associated with ulcerative colitis.
“a study of five male volunteers consuming high intakes of animal protein showed that fecal sulfide production is related to meat intake [176]; notably, hydrogen sulfide is a compound associated with ulcerative colitis [177].”
From The athletic gut microbiota (2020) · cites this paper as [176]
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- Authors
- Magee, E. A., Richardson, C. J., Hughes, R., & Cummings, J. H.
- Affiliations
- University of Dundee (GB)
- ORCID
- Cummings, John H
- Venue
- The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2000-12
- Volume
- 72
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 1488-1494
- ISSN
- 0002-9165 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W1879953056
- Cited by
- 359
- References
- 29
- Citations by year
- 2026: 14 · 2025: 16 · 2024: 23 · 2023: 23 · 2022: 22 · 2021: 12 · 2020: 28 · 2019: 13 · 2018: 36 · 2017: 17 · 2016: 18 · 2015: 15 · 2014: 15 · 2013: 15 · 2012: 12
- FWCI
- 1.21
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Gut microbiota and health
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Nutritional Studies and Diet
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Animal Science and Zoology › Animal Nutrition and Physiology
- Keywords
- hydrogen sulfide, dietary protein, meat consumption, sulfur-containing amino acids, large intestine, urinary sulfate, bovine serum albumin, casein, protein digestion, ulcerative colitis
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Amino Acids, Sulfur, Diet, Dietary Proteins, Feces, Humans, Intestine, Large, Male, Meat, Middle Aged, Regression Analysis, Sulfates, Sulfides, Cross-Over Studies
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