Diet type increases potentially harmful gas in the gut

"Although the role of hydrogen sulfide in the pathogenesis of multiple important diseases has been a topic of great interest, such as ulcerative colitis, colon cancer and obesity, past investigations have been unable to link dietary data, microbial properties and the actual production of hydrogen sulfide," Medicine said Alexander Khoruts, Ph.

From a human cohort study, the study supports a common hypothesis that an animal-based diet increases the production of hydrogen sulfide by gut microbes

The study found:

• For most participants, the plant-based diet produced lower hydrogen sulfide production than the animal-based diet (ie, the Western diet)

  
  

• As expected, the plant-based diet contained more fiber, while the animal-based diet contained more protein

  
  

• In some individuals, the plant-based diet did not reduce hydrogen sulfide production and even led to an increase in hydrogen sulfide production

  
  

• Preliminary results suggest that different compositions of gut microbiota (enterotypes) are associated with different responsiveness to hydrogen sulfide production in food

  
  

This research was funded by Healthy Foods, Healthy Living, Healing Together, the Allen Foundation and the University of Minnesota MnDRIVE initiative

Journal Reference :

1. Levi Teigen, Prince P.