Abrignani, V.; Salvo, A.; Parrinello, G.; Tuttolomondo, A. The Mediterranean Diet, Its Microbiome Connections, and Cardiovascular Health: A Narrative Review. Int. J. Mol. Sci.2024, 25, 4942.
Abrignani, V.; Salvo, A.; Parrinello, G.; Tuttolomondo, A. The Mediterranean Diet, Its Microbiome Connections, and Cardiovascular Health: A Narrative Review. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25, 4942.
Abrignani, V.; Salvo, A.; Parrinello, G.; Tuttolomondo, A. The Mediterranean Diet, Its Microbiome Connections, and Cardiovascular Health: A Narrative Review. Int. J. Mol. Sci.2024, 25, 4942.
Abrignani, V.; Salvo, A.; Parrinello, G.; Tuttolomondo, A. The Mediterranean Diet, Its Microbiome Connections, and Cardiovascular Health: A Narrative Review. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25, 4942.
Abstract
Mediterranean Diet (MD), rich in minimally processed plant foods and in monounsaturated fats, but low in saturated fats, meat and dairy products, represents one of the most studied diets for cardiovascular health. It has been shown, from both observational and randomized controlled trials, that MD reduces body weight, improves cardiovascular disease surrogates such as waist-to-hip ratio, lipids, and inflammation markers, and even prevents the development of fatal and non-fatal cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, and other diseases. However, it is unclear whether it offers cardiovascular benefits from its individual components or as a whole. Furthermore, limitations in the methodology of studies and meta-analyses have raised some concerns on its potential cardiovascular benefits.
MD is also associated with characteristic changes in the intestinal microbiota, mediated through its constituents. These include increased growth of species producing short-chain fatty acids, such as Clostridium leptum and Eubacterium rectale, increased growth of Bifidobacteria, Bacteroides and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii species, and reduced growth of Firmicutes and Blautia species. Such changes are known to be favorably associated with inflammation, oxidative status, and overall metabolic health.
This review will focus on the effects of MD on cardiovascular health through its action on gut microbioma.
Keywords
Western-type diet; Mediterranean-type diet; gut microbiota; short-chain fatty acid; trimethylamine N-oxide; bile acids; cardiovascular disease; atherosclerosis; nutrients
Subject
Biology and Life Sciences, Food Science and Technology
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
