A recent study published in PubMed indicates that a one-week intervention with elderberry juice (EBJ) can significantly modulate the gut microbiota and improve metabolic health in overweight or obese adults. The research, a randomized, placebo-controlled crossover trial, suggests that anthocyanin-dense EBJ may offer a promising strategy for addressing obesity-related complications through its impact on gut microbiota composition and function.
The study involved 18 overweight or obese adults (BMI > 25 kg/m2) without chronic illnesses. Participants underwent a 5-week crossover protocol, including two 1-week periods of twice-daily EBJ or placebo (PL), separated by a washout period. During each treatment period, subjects consumed a controlled 40% fat diet for four days, allowing for comparison of fecal microbiota, meal tolerance testing (MTT), and indirect calorimetry between the two beverage conditions.
Impact on Gut Microbiota
The results showed that EBJ significantly altered the gut microbiota composition. At the phylum level, EBJ increased Firmicutes and Actinobacteria while decreasing Bacteroidetes. At the genus level, EBJ led to an increase in Faecalibacterium, Ruminococcaceae, and Bifidobacterium, and a decrease in Bacteroides and lactic acid-producing bacteria. These changes indicate a positive shift in the gut microbiota profile in response to EBJ consumption.
Metabolic Benefits
Supporting the observed changes in the microbiota, EBJ treatment significantly reduced blood glucose levels following the meal tolerance test (MTT). Furthermore, fat oxidation increased significantly both during the MTT and during 30 minutes of moderate physical activity with the EBJ treatment. These findings suggest that EBJ-sourced anthocyanins have a beneficial impact on glucose metabolism and fat oxidation.
Implications and Future Research
The study's authors conclude that their findings confirm the bioactivity of EBJ-sourced anthocyanins on outcomes related to gut health and obesity. They emphasize the need for follow-up investigations to confirm these results and to explore the effects of longer durations of EBJ consumption. These results build on earlier findings from small clinical trials suggesting modulation of substrate oxidation and glucose tolerance with mediation of prospective benefits attributable to the gut microbiota. Obesity remains a costly and ongoing health complication globally, and bioactive-rich foods like elderberries may represent an attractive strategy to address this issue. Berry-derived anthocyanins and their metabolites are of particular interest for their bioactive effects, including weight maintenance and protection from metabolic aberrations.
