In new research, scientists from Western New England University and elsewhere investigated the potential of grapes to modulate the human microbiome and thus influence health.
Dave et al. demonstrated that grape consumption does not perturb the eubiotic state of the microbiome with normal, healthy human subjects; grape consumption does change the taxonomic composition of the microbiome, enzyme levels, KEGG pathways, and the metabolome. Image credit: NoName_13.
“The potential influence of the human microbiome, consisting of over 3 million genes and on the order of 1014 microorganisms, on health and well-being is profound,” said Western New England University’s Professor John Pezzuto and his colleagues.
“Over the past two decades, remarkable strides in microbiome research have provided the tools and knowledge to allow meaningful investigation of the influence of this ’tissue’ on human health and disease.”
“Words such as prebiotic, probiotic, synbiotic, eubiosis and dysbiosis are now commonly incorporated in the ordinary lexicon of the lay public and scientific community.”
“The marketplace has expanded into a multi-billion dollar industry, with substantial growth anticipated in the future, through the provision of products designed for humans as well as other mammals.”
“An area of interest for us is the potential influence of grapes on health,” they added.
“Dietary consumption is prevalent, as reflected by the production of over 6 million tons per year in the United States alone.”
“Based on human clinical trials, or studies conducted with animal models, results have suggested an array of responses mediated by the grape on atherosclerosis, inflammation, cancer, gastrointestinal health, CNS effects, osteoarthritis, urinary bladder function, and vision.”
Their eight-week study involved 29 healthy free-living males (age 24-55 years) and female subjects (age 29-53 years).
The authors analyzed microbiome composition as well as urinary and plasma metabolites in the participants following two-weeks of a restricted diet (day 15), two-weeks of a restricted diet with grape consumption (day 30), and four-weeks of restricted diet without grape consumption (day 60).
During the grape consumption phase of the study subjects ate 2 1/4 cups of grapes per day.
Changes were seen in the number of bacteria detected and in enzyme levels and biological pathways.
The analysis of a subgroup of subjects showed unique patterns of microbial distribution.
“The gut microbiome communicates with all of our organs. We call this the gut-organ axis,” Professor Pezzuto said.
“Our study showed that grapes actively impact the gut microbiome causing shifts in the intricate interactive networks and thus subtly changing the gut microbiome and the resulting chemicals it produces.”
“Over the years, we have learned that consumption of grapes has the potential to mediate an amazing cadre of health benefits,” he added.
“The data suggest health improvements in heart, colon, brain, skin, and more.”
“We now know that grapes can change the chemicals in the microbiome.”
“As these chemicals have access to all of our body organs it is logical to conclude that this leads to some of the health benefits that have now been established.”
A paper on the findings was published in the journal Scientific Reports.
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A. Dave et al. 2023. Influence of grape consumption on the human microbiome. Sci Rep 13, 7706; doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-34813-5