About this Research Topic
Emerging evidence has widely recognized that the gut microbiota, comprising trillions of microorganisms residing in the gastrointestinal tract, plays a crucial role in human health and disease. Dietary interventions, including changes in dietary patterns and the use of specific dietary supplements, have been shown to significantly impact the composition and function of the gut microbiota. Certain types of diets, such as those rich in fiber, plant-based foods, and fermented products, have been associated with a more diverse and beneficial gut microbiota profile.
Generally, dietary interventions influence host-microbe interactions through several pathways: providing substrates for the growth and metabolism of specific microbial species, influencing the balance between beneficial and harmful microbial species in the gut, impacting the production of bioactive compounds by the gut microbiota, and modulating the gut microbiota through their effects on the host's immune system. Understanding the mechanisms underlying these interactions is crucial for developing personalized approaches to nutrition and harnessing the potential of dietary interventions to promote health and prevent disease.
Dietary patterns and specific dietary supplements have long been regarded as major external modulators of human health. More recently, generalized probiotics have demonstrated great potential in modulating host health and disease. However, community-wide molecular analyses using multi-omics approaches to obtain empirical data on the effects of diet on the intestinal microbiota have only recently been conducted. These studies provide valuable insights into how specific dietary components and patterns shape the microbial ecosystem within the gut. The understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the health-promoting effects of probiotics is still evolving, and ongoing investigations are advancing our knowledge in this area. Research into how beneficial microorganisms interact with the host's physiology and immune system to promote health is still ongoing and requires further exploration. Deepening our understanding of the molecular basis of probiotic effects has the potential to lead to the development of more targeted and effective interventions.
Overall, although our knowledge of the impact of diet on the gut microbiota and the molecular mechanisms underlying the health-promoting effects of probiotics is expanding, there is still much more to learn. Ongoing research efforts are crucial for further elucidating these relationships and paving the way for personalized dietary interventions that optimize human health and prevent disease.
This Research Topic welcomes Original Research and Reviews that provide new insights into the following areas:
- Exploring the mechanisms and functions of dietary interventions: prebiotics, probiotics, symbiotics, and supplements in modulating host gut microbiota
- Isolation and characterization of next-generation probiotics from the host gut microbiota: a promising approach for improving human health
- Roles and mechanisms of different dietary patterns on gut microbiota in human health and diseases
- Bioinformatic tools for personalized nutrition: harnessing the power of metagenomics, metabolomics, proteomics, and transcriptomics for disease prevention and treatment
Keywords: Dietary, Intestinal microbiota, Probiotics, Genomics, Personalized Nutrition
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.