The trillions of bacteria living inside our guts, known as gut microbiota, play a crucial role in digestion, immunity, and overall health. While diet is a known influencer of gut bacteria, a new study explores how fasting during Ramadan might impact these microbes in people of different ethnicities.
Researchers investigated whether the month-long Ramadan fast, involving daily abstinence from food and drink from dawn to dusk, alters gut bacteria in Chinese and Pakistani individuals.
Unique Microbiota Profiles by Ethnicity
The study, published in the scientific journal Microbiome, revealed significant differences in gut microbiota composition between the two ethnicities, with little overlap. This suggests that factors beyond diet, potentially genetics or environment, also shape the gut microbiome.
Fasting Impact Varies
When researchers compared gut bacteria samples collected before and after Ramadan, they observed some interesting trends. In the Pakistani group, there was a partial shift in the bacterial communities associated with fasting. However, the Chinese group didn’t show a similar response.
Diversity Changes in Chinese Participants
The study also measured the diversity of gut bacteria, which refers to the variety of different bacterial species present. Interestingly, Ramadan fasting significantly impacted certain diversity metrics in the Chinese group, but not in the Pakistani group.
Specific Bacteria Show Enrichment or Depletion
The researchers identified specific bacterial groups that became more or less abundant after fasting in both populations. For example, some beneficial bacteria like Dorea and Faecalibacterium increased in the Chinese group, while others like Sutterella and Parabacteroides thrived in the Pakistani group after fasting.
Overall Decrease of Certain Bacteria
When analyzing data from both groups combined, the researchers observed a decrease in several bacterial genera, including Coprococcus, Clostridium_XlV, and Lachnospiracea, after the fasting period.
Diet Plays a Major Role
The study also highlighted the significant influence of diet on gut bacteria. The researchers found that the amount of fat consumed was linked to the presence of certain bacteria. Additionally, higher intake of sweets correlated with an increase in Akkermansia, a bacterium with potential health benefits.
Future Directions
This study sheds light on the complex interplay between ethnicity, diet, and fasting in shaping gut microbiota. The researchers emphasize the need for further investigation into the specific impacts of fasting on gut bacteria. This knowledge could pave the way for personalized, behavior-based interventions targeting the gut microbiome for preventing or treating digestive disorders.