Model System:

SCI

Reference Type:

Journal article

Accession No.:

J89435

Journal:

Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Year, Volume, Issue, Page(s):

, 103, 7, 1269-1278

Publication Website:

Abstract:

Study evaluated the effect of a low-carbohydrate, high-protein (LC/HP) diet that includes healthy dietary components (e.g., lean meat, whole grains, fruits and vegetables, fiber, etc.) on the gut microbiome composition in individuals with chronic spinal cord injury (SCI). Participants were 19 adults with chronic SCI who were insulin resistant and had not received antibiotics within 4 weeks before enrolling in the study. The participants were randomized to the LC/HP diet group (40 percent energy from carbohydrates, 30 percent energy from protein, and 30 percent energy from fat and met dietary guideline recommendations) or the control group for 8 weeks. Participants assigned to the LC/HP group were provided with all meals delivered weekly to their homes. Participants assigned to the control group were asked to continue their usual diet. Stool samples were collected at baseline and the end of week 8. The gut microbiome 16S ribosomal RNA V4 region was sequenced, and gut microbiome diversity and taxonomical abundance were computed using the QIIME2 suite. Participants in the LC/HP group had significant changes in alpha-diversity (reduced operational taxonomic unit and Faith's phylogenetic diversity) and beta-diversity (unweighted UniFrac), while no significant differences were observed among participants in the control group after the intervention. Moreover, several taxa changed differently over time between groups. Findings suggest that an LC/HP diet with healthy dietary components improved gut microbiome composition in individuals with SCI, including increased bacteria implicated in fiber metabolism and reduced bacteria communities linked to cardiometabolic disorders.

Author(s):

Li, Jia|Morrow, Casey|McLain, Amie|Womack, Erika D.|Yarar-Fisher, Ceren|

Participating Centers: