Association of Habitual Intake of Probiotic Supplements and Yogurt with Characteristics of the Gut Microbiome in the Multiethnic Cohort Adiposity Phenotype Study

Authors

Weiwen Chai, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Gertraud Maskarinec, University of Hawai’i Cancer Center
Unhee Lim, University of Hawai’i Cancer Center
Carol J. Boushey, University of Hawai’i Cancer Center
Lynne R. Wilkens, University of Hawai’i Cancer Center
V. Wendy Setiawan, University of Southern California, Los Angeles
Loïc Le Marchand, University of Hawai’i Cancer Center
Timothy W. Randolph, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
Isaac C. Jenkins, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
Johanna W. Lampe, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
Meredith A.J. Hullar, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center

Document Type

Article

Date of this Version

3-11-2024

Citation

Gut Microbiome (Camb). 2023 ; 4: . doi:10.1017/gmb.2023.10.

Comments

HHS Public Access.

Abstract

Consumption of probiotics and/or yogurt could be a solution for restoring the balance of the gut microbiota. This study examined associations of regular intake of probiotic supplements or yogurt with the gut microbiota among a diverse population of older adults (N=1,861; 60–72 years). Fecal microbial composition was obtained from 16S rRNA gene sequencing (V1-V3 region). General Linear Models were used to estimate the associations of probiotic supplement or yogurt intake with microbiome measures adjusting for covariates. Compared to non-yogurt consumers (N=1,023), regular yogurt consumers (≥once/week, N=818) had greater Streptococcus (β=0.29, P=0.0003) and lower Odoribacter (β=−0.33, P<0.0001) abundance. The directions of the above associations were consistent across the five ethnic groups but stronger among Japanese Americans (Streptococcus: β=0.56, P=0.0009; Odoribacter: β=−0.62, P=0.0005). Regular intake of probiotic supplements (N=175) was not associated with microbial characteristics (i.e., alpha diversity and the abundance of 152 bacteria genera). Streptococcus is one of the predominant bacteria genera in yogurt products, which may explain the positive association between yogurt consumption and Streptococcus abundance. Our analyses suggest that changes in Odoribacter were independent of changes in Streptococcus abundance. Future studies may investigate whether these microbial genera and their sub-level species mediate potential pathways between yogurt consumption and health.