The effects of time-restricted eating and Ramadan fasting on gut microbiota composition: a systematic review of human and animal studies
Pieczyńska-Zając JM, Malinowska A, Łagowska K, Leciejewska N, Bajerska J
Nutrition reviews · 19 citations
How it was studied
- Design
- Systematic review (indexed by PubMed)
- Studied in
- People, plus animal or lab work
- Main outcome
- Health markers and function
Who paid for it
- Funding
- Independent funding
- Unclassified
- Regional Excellence Initiative
- Government
- Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education's
- Government
- Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education’s
Based on 3 listed funder(s) and full-text disclosure statement.
Publication
- Published
- 2023-08-01 · Nutr Rev · vol. 82 · issue 6 · pp. 777–793
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- Cited
- 29 citations · more than 81% of similar papers · 1.4× the field average
- References
- 54 works
- Access
- Open access (hybrid journal) · CC-BY
- Research areas
- Dietary Effects on Health · Gut microbiota and health · Immune responses and vaccinations
- Keywords
- Akkermansia, Gut flora, Firmicutes, Animal studies, Context (archaeology), Bacteroidetes, Intermittent fasting, Biology, Physiology, Microbiome, Lactobacillus, Zoology, Food science, Endocrinology, Bioinformatics, Immunology, Bacteria, Fermentation
- MeSH
- animals, humans, fasting, islam, gastrointestinal microbiome
5 authors
From PL, NL
- Joanna Maria Pieczyńska-ZającPoznań University of Life Sciences
- Anna M. MalinowskaWageningen University & Research
- Karolina ŁagowskaPoznań University of Life Sciences
- Natalia LeciejewskaPoznań University of Life Sciences
- Joanna Bajerska · correspondingPoznań University of Life Sciences
Abstract
Context
It is well known that the microbiome undergoes cyclical diurnal rhythms. It has thus been hypothesized that meal timing may affect gut microbial composition, function, and host health.
Objective
This review aims to examine the effects of time-restricted eating (TRE) and Ramadan fasting (RF) on the composition of the gut microbiota in animal and human studies. The associations between composition of microbiota and host metabolic parameters are also examined.
Data sources
A search was performed on the PubMed, Cochrane, Scopus, and Web of Science databases up to December 31, 2022. The search strategy was performed using the Medical Subject Heading (MeSH) terms "intermittent fasting" and "gastrointestinal microbiome" and the key words "Ramadan fasting" and "microbes."
Data extraction
Seven human studies (4 TRE and 3 RF) and 9 animal studies (7 TRE, 2 RF-like) were retrieved.
Data analysis
TRE and RF in human studies lead to an increase in gut microbial community alpha-diversity. In animal studies (both TRE and RF-like), fasting is not associated with improved alpha-diversity, but enhancement of microbial fluctuation is observed, compared with high-fat diet ad libitum groups. Within Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes phyla, no specific direction of changes resulting from fasting are observed in both animals and human. After TRE or RF, a greater abundance of the Faecalibacterium genus is observed in human studies; changes in Lactobacillus abundance are found in animal studies; and increases in Akkermansia are seen both in humans and in animals fed a feed-pellet diet. Only 2 human studies show a beneficial correlation between microbiota changes and host metabolic (HDL cholesterol) or anthropometric parameters (body mass index).
Conclusions
These findings support the importance of both regimens in improving the gut microbiota composition. However, based on results of animal studies, it can be suggested that diet remains the essential factor in forming the microbiota's environment.
Systematic review registration
PROSPERO registration no. CRD42021278918.
Abstract via Europe PMC. Copyright remains with the authors or publisher (CC BY).
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