(OR19-02-24) Daily Intake of Spices Influences Short Chain Fatty Acid Production, Gut Hormone Release, and Cardiometabolic Health

Objectives: The gut microbiome and its physiologically active metabolites such as short chain fatty acids (SCFA) influence cardiometabolic health through microbial-mediated gut hormone release. Production of SCFA is facilitated, in part, by consumption of prebiotic compounds such as polyphenols which evade metabolism in the upper gastrointestinal tract. This feasibility study investigated the effect of yogurt with and without a culinary dose of polyphenol-rich spices on the gut microbiota, gut-derived metabolites and hormones, and cardiometabolic outcomes among post-menopausal women.

Methods: In a single-blind, crossover design, healthy post-menopausal women (n=11, 59.9±3.5 years) were randomized to twice daily yogurt consumption with or without a culinary dose of cinnamon (3g) and ginger (1g) for four weeks each with a two-week washout period in between. Pre- and post-study arms, a stool sample was collected for assessment of the gut microbiome and SCFA concentrations, and a fasting blood sample was collected for assessing circulating hormones and cardiometabolic biomarkers. To limit confounding, participants maintained their regular diet while limiting polyphenol-rich foods for study duration.

Results: Intervention compliance was 93% with all participants consuming three or fewer polyphenol-rich foods per day. Although a significant treatment effect on alpha- or beta-diversity of the gut microbiome was not observed, SCFA concentrations in stool samples increased in the spice treatment arm with acetic acid and butyric acid increasing 31.9% and 24.5%, respectively. These increases were observed concomitantly with a significant increase in circulating leptin, a gut-derived hormone, (30.6%, p=0.036) and an increase in peptide YY of 7.5% albeit non-significant (p=0.051). Among cardiometabolic outcomes, significant treatment effects were observed in the total cholesterol:HDL-c ratio (4.4% reduction, p=0.030).

Conclusions: While the composition of the gut microbiome was not significantly altered, results suggest that polyphenol-rich spices augment the release of gut-derived hormones and modulate cholesterol metabolism when added to yogurt. Taken collectively, targeting the gut microbiome with culinary spices to stimulate production of SCFA may benefit cardiometabolic health.

Funding Sources: McCormick Science Institute