Substituting whole grains for refined grains in a 6-wk randomized trial has a modest effect on gut microbiota and immune and inflammatory markers of healthy adults
Open accessAbstract
Background: Observational studies suggest an inverse association between whole-grain (WG) consumption and inflammation. However, evidence from interventional studies is limited, and few studies have included measurements of cell-mediated immunity.Objective: We assessed the effects of diets rich in WGs compared with refined grains (RGs) on immune and inflammatory responses, gut microbiota, and microbial products in healthy adults while maintaining subject body weights.Design: After a 2-wk provided-food run-in period of consuming a Western-style diet, 49 men and 32 postmenopausal women [age range: 40-65 y, body mass index (in kg/m 2) <35] were assigned to consume 1 of 2 provided-food weight-maintenance diets for 6 wk.Results: Compared with the RG group, the WG group had increased plasma total alkyresorcinols (a measure of WG intake) (P < 0.0001), stool weight (P < 0.0001), stool frequency (P = 0.02), and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) producer Lachnospira [false-discovery rate (FDR)-corrected P = 0.25] but decreased pro-inflammatory Enterobacteriaceae (FDR-corrected P = 0.25). Changes in stool acetate (P = 0.02) and total SCFAs (P = 0.05) were higher in the WG group than in the RG group. A positive association was shown between Lachnospira and acetate (FDR-corrected P = 0.002) or butyrate (FDR-corrected P = 0.005). We also showed that there was a higher percentage of terminal effector memory T cells (P = 0.03) and LPS-stimulated ex vivo production of tumor necrosis factor-α (P = 0.04) in the WG group than in the RG group, which were positively associated with plasma alkylresorcinol concentrations.Conclusion: The short-term consumption of WGs in a weight-maintenance diet increases stool weight and frequency and has modest positive effects on gut microbiota, SCFAs, effector memory T cells, and the acute innate immune response and no effect on other markers of cell-mediated immunity or systemic and gut inflammation. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01902394.
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More short-chain fatty acids in stool correlate with more memory T cells in blood, lower inflammatory cytokines like tumor necrosis factor, and higher anti-inflammatory cytokines like interleukin 10.
“Higher levels of fecal SCFAs were associated with increased numbers of memory T cells in blood,171 reduced levels of inflammatory cytokines (such as tumor necrosis factor), and increased levels of anti-inflammatory cytokines (such as interleukin 10).136”
From Influence of the Gut Microbiome, Diet, and Environment on Risk of Colorectal Cancer (2020) · cites this paper as [171]
A randomised, controlled, parallel designed study by Vanegas et al. displayed a modest effect on the microbiota at the family and genera level between the participants consuming whole grain (n = 41) compared to those consuming refined grain (n = 40).
“A randomised, controlled, parallel designed study by Vanegas et al., however, displayed a modest effect on the microbiota at the family and genera level between the participants consuming whole grain (n = 41) compared to those consuming refined grain (n = 40) [62].”
From Effect of Diet on the Gut Microbiota: Rethinking Intervention Duration (2019) · cites this paper as [62]
Consumption of a high-fiber diet promotes an increase in bacterial diversity and leads to a bloom in the growth of beneficial bacteria (Bifidobacterium sp., Lactobacillus sp., Akkermansia sp., Faecalibacterium sp., Roseburia sp., Bacteroides sp., and Prevotella) as well as a reduction in potentially pathogenic bacteria (e.g., Enterobacteriaceae).
“It is generally accepted that the consumption of a highfiber diet promotes an increase in bacterial diversity and leads to a bloom in the growth of beneficial bacteria (i.e., Bifidobacterium sp., Lactobacillus sp., Akkermansia sp., Faecalibacterium sp., Roseburia sp., Bacteroides sp., and Prevotella) as well as a reduction in potentially pathogenic bacteria (e.g., Enterobacteriaceae) (63)(64)(65)(”
From Diet and the Microbiota–Gut–Brain Axis: Sowing the Seeds of Good Mental Health (2021) · cites this paper as [63]
Intact cereal fibers increase the abundance of Actinobacteria, Bifidobacterium, Clostridium, Lachnospira, Akkermansia, and Roseburia in humans.
“whereas intact cereal fibers (e.g., wholegrain cereals, barley fiber, wheat bran, and rye fiber) increase the abundance of Actinobacteria, Bifidobacterium, Clostridium, Lachnospira, Akkermansia, and Roseburia in humans (63,65,66,73).”
From Diet and the Microbiota–Gut–Brain Axis: Sowing the Seeds of Good Mental Health (2021) · cites this paper as [63]
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- Authors
- Vanegas, S. M., Meydani, M., Barnett, J. B., Goldin, B., Kane, A., Rasmussen, H., Brown, C., Vangay, P., Knights, D., Jonnalagadda, S., Koecher, K., Karl, J. P., Thomas, M., Dolnikowski, G., Li, L., Saltzman, E., Wu, D., & Meydani, S. N.
- Affiliations
- United States Department of Agriculture (US)
- Tufts University (US)
- University of Minnesota (US)
- General Mills (United States) (US)
- Corresponding author
- Wu, Dayong
- Meydani, Simin Nikbin
- ORCID
- Venue
- The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2017-03
- Volume
- 105
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 635-650
- ISSN
- 0002-9165 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC5320415
- OpenAlex
- W2586980390
- Cited by
- 277
- References
- 9
- Citations by year
- 2026: 21 · 2025: 17 · 2024: 22 · 2023: 31 · 2022: 48 · 2021: 42 · 2020: 32 · 2019: 24 · 2018: 26 · 2017: 14
- FWCI
- 10.72
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Gut microbiota and health
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Food composition and properties
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Nutritional Studies and Diet
- Keywords
- whole grains, refined grains, gut microbiota, short-chain fatty acids, Lachnospira, Enterobacteriaceae, alkylresorcinols, cell-mediated immunity, TNF-α, inflammation, weight-maintenance diet, postmenopausal women, healthy adults, dietary intervention, acetate
- MeSH terms
- Whole Grains, Body Weight Maintenance, Gastrointestinal Microbiome, Aged, Bacteria, Butyrates, Defecation, Diet, Dietary Fiber, Enterobacteriaceae, Feces, Feeding Behavior, Female, Humans, Immunity, Innate, Inflammation, Lipopolysaccharides, Male, Middle Aged, Resorcinols, T-Lymphocytes, Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha, Biomarkers, Acetic Acid, Gastrointestinal Tract
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