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© 2025 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Brown seaweeds, such as Himanthalia elongata, are a promising source of dietary fiber. However, in vivo evidence regarding the effects of H. elongata intake on the human gut microbiota remains limited. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of daily H. elongata consumption on the gut microbiota composition and short-chain fatty acid production in overweight adults. Methods: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted in which 10 overweight adult participants consumed 2 g/day of whole H. elongata for 30 days. Fecal samples were collected before and after the intervention for 16S rRNA sequencing and short-chain fatty acid analysis. Dietary intake was evaluated using a 24 h recall and a 3-day dietary record. Nutritional assessment was performed to determine habitual macronutrient consumption. Results: Baseline dietary analysis revealed an imbalanced macronutrient profile characterized by high intakes of total and saturated fats and protein, along with low carbohydrate and fiber consumption. In addition, 50% of the participants were obese, and 50% were overweight based on the BMI. Notable changes in the gut microbiota composition were observed after the intervention, including increases in short-chain fatty acid-producing species, such as Parabacteroides distasonis, Bacteroides eggerthii, Bacteroides uniformis, and Bacteroides obeum. Conclusions: This study provides the first clinical evidence in humans that whole H. elongata can beneficially modulate the gut microbiota composition. These results support the potential use of this seaweed as a functional prebiotic ingredient in dietary strategies aimed at enhancing gut health.

Details

Title
Modulation of Gut Microbiota by Whole Encapsulated Brown Seaweed (Himanthalia elongata) in Overweight Subjects: A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Trial
Author
Lopez-Santamarina Aroa 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Cardelle-Cobas Alejandra 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Mondragon Alicia del Carmen 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Cepeda, Alberto 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Rodriguez, Jose A 2   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Miranda, Jose Manuel 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo 

 Department of Analytical Chemistry, Nutrition and Food Science, School of Veterinary Sciences, University of Santiago de Compostela, 27002 Lugo, Spain; [email protected] (A.L.-S.); [email protected] (A.C.-C.); [email protected] (A.d.C.M.); [email protected] (A.C.) 
 Área Académica de Química, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo, Carr. Pachuca-Tulancingo Km. 4.5, Mineral de la Reforma 42184, Mexico; [email protected] 
First page
2047
Publication year
2025
Publication date
2025
Publisher
MDPI AG
e-ISSN
20726643
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
3223931353
Copyright
© 2025 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.