Much research has been conducted regarding the impact of diet on the gut microbiota. However, the effects of dietary habits such as intermittent fasting are unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effect of intermittent fasting during Ramadan on the gut microbiota. The study was conducted on 12 healthy adult individuals who practiced fasting 17 h per day for 29 consecutive days during the month of Ramadan. To determine the dietary intake of individuals, a 3-day dietary record was kept at the beginning and end of the study. Reads that passed quality filtering were clustered, and custom-prepared 16S rRNA gene regions of bacteria associated with the human microbiome were used as a reference. Consensus sequences were created, and genus-level taxonomic annotations were determined using a sequence identity threshold of 95%. The correlations between the dietary intake measurements of the participants and the respective relative abundance of bacterial genera were investigated. The results showed that Firmicutes were higher in abundance in the gut microbiota before fasting among participants, while they were significantly lower in abundance at the end of Ramadan fasting (p < 0.05). Proteobacteria were significantly higher in abundance at the end of the month of Ramadan (p < 0.05). Fasting was associated with a significant decrease in levels of seven genera: Blautia, Coprococcus, Dorea, Faecalicatena, Fusicatenibacter, Lachnoclostridium, and Mediterraneibacter. Conversely, the abundances of two bacterial genera were enhanced at the end of the fasting month: Escherichia and Shigella. The results of the dietary intake analysis showed that a negative correlation was detected for three comparisons: Ihubacter and protein (rho = −0.54, p = 0.0068), Fusicatenibacter and vegetables (rho = −0.54, p = 0.0042), and Intestinibacter and nuts (rho = −0.54, p-value = 0.0065). The results suggest that even when the fasting period during Ramadan is consistent, the types of food consumed by individuals can affect the gut microbiota.

Background/Objectives: This study aimed to determine the impact of the daily consumption of kefir on the gut microbiome, body composition, and athletic performance of professional female soccer players. Methods: The participants encompassed 21 females aged 18–29 years who were assigned to one of the two groups: the experimental group, which comprised females who consumed 200 mL of kefir daily for 28 days, and the control group, which comprised females who continued with their normal diet. Anthropometric measurements, dietary intake, the composition of the gut microbiome through 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and an athletic performance test known as the 30-15 Intermittent Fitness Test were performed before and after the intervention. Results: The results of this study revealed that the consumption of kefir increased the microbial diversity (Shannon and Chao1 indices), wherein a significant increase was noted in the abundance of Akkermansia muciniphila and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, microorganisms that regulate energy metabolism and have anti-inflammatory effects. Furthermore, the athletic performance variables, including VO₂max (mL.kg⁻¹.min⁻¹) and finishing speed (km/h), were strongly related to the abundance of these short-chain fatty acid-producing bacteria. A link between the microbiota profile and the dietary intake of fiber and protein as well as the body composition measurements was also established. Conclusions: This study indicated that kefir consumption can positively affect the gut microbiota, which could in turn affect the athletes’ performance. Therefore, to determine the effects of kefir as a functional food in sports nutrition over a longer period, more research should be conducted.

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) imposes a substantial burden on the healthcare systems and economies of countries and is a major public health concern worldwide. MetS is mainly caused by an imbalance between calorie intake and energy expenditure; however, it is recognized that additional variables, such as chronic inflammation, may have the same predictive potential as insulin resistance or MetS components in the genesis of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular events. More importantly, the early diagnosis or treatment of MetS may significantly reduce the burden on the health systems of the disease with any prevention or biomarker and should not be underestimated. Osteopontin (OPN), also called secreted phosphoprotein 1, is a soluble protein found mostly in body fluids. Studies suggest that serum OPN levels may be an early and new biomarker to predict metabolic and cardiovascular complications significantly associated with some diseases. This review aims to provide specific insight into the new biomarker OPN in MetS. With this purpose, it is examined the link between the MetS cornerstones and OPN. In addition, the interaction between the microbiota and MetS is predicted to be bidirectional, and the microbiota may act as a bridge in this interaction process. Increased OPN levels may have unfavourable consequences for cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and obesity, all of which are components of MetS. Further studies are required to evaluate the use of OPN levels as a clinical biomarker risk of MetS.

Saglam D, et al. Nutr Res Pract. 2022 Dec;16(6):765-774. https://doi.org/10.4162/nrp.2022.16.6.765

Background/Objectives: Artificial intelligence (AI)-based tools are increasingly being used in tailored nutrition management, and evaluating their compliance with guidelines is significant in clinically sensitive areas, including bariatric surgery. This study aimed to investigate the extent to which diet plans recommended by AI models in the early period following sleeve gastrectomy (SG) align with current clinical nutrition guidelines (ASMBS, AACE/TOS). Methods: A total of 360 menu plans were generated using three AI platforms—ChatGPT-4o, DeepSeek V3, and Grok-3—for 40 simulated patients (20 females, 20 males; BMI 32–45 kg/m²) across three postoperative stages: liquid (day 5), puree (day 16), and solid (day 35). The energy and nutrient contents of the menus were analyzed using BeBiS 8.1; an experienced dietitian assessed compliance with the guidelines using a structured checklist. Nutrient intakes and guideline compliance scores were examined using within-patient Friedman tests followed by Bonferroni-adjusted pairwise comparisons. Results: ChatGPT-4o demonstrated the highest overall compliance scores, particularly in the liquid and puréed phases, while DeepSeek produced higher values for several micronutrients. All models showed substantial gaps in essential postoperative recommendations, most notably thiamine and multivitamin supplementation. Conclusions: Although LLMs can generate partially guideline-concordant postoperative diet plans, they consistently omit several critical elements of bariatric nutrition care. These findings indicate that LLM-generated menus may serve as supportive educational tools, and diet planning must be performed under the guidance of a specialist dietitian. This simulation does not assess clinical safety, efficacy, or patient outcomes and should not be used as a substitute for dietitian-led postoperative nutrition care.

Fried potato products are the largest dietary source of acrylamide, a potential carcinogen formed at high temperatures. Previous studies suggested that garlic powder could decrease the development of acrylamide; however, there has not been much focus on the effect of garlic extract. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of garlic extract exposure on the development of acrylamide in French fries in popular home cooking techniques such as pan-frying, air-frying, and oven-frying. Initially, the antioxidative profile, total phenolic content, and chlorogenic acid content of garlic were analyzed. Subsequently, potatoes were treated with garlic extract and fried using pan-frying, air-frying, and oven-frying techniques. Acrylamide levels were then quantified through HPLC and compared to control groups. The findings showed that garlic exposure increased the acrylamide formation in French fries obtained with air-frying (311.95 ± 0.5 μg/kg) and with oven-frying (270.32 ± 23.4 μg/kg) (p < 0.005 *). This study offers new insights into varying acrylamide formation levels in domestic practices. Unlike previous studies, this study is the first to question the effect of aqueous garlic extract exposure. Further research is required to comprehend the interaction between garlic exposure and acrylamide formation in household settings.