The role of the Mediterranean diet in modulating the gut microbiome: A review of current evidence

Abstract

The Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) is recognized as one of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Intangible Cultural Heritage assets associated with lower rates of cardiometabolic diseases; lower prevalence of cancer, Alzheimer's disease, depression, and onset of inflammatory bowel disease; and more generally low-grade inflammation and mortality risks. Beyond being an input source of beneficial micronutrients, it recently has been discovered that the MedDiet plays a role in a more complex human microbiome-mediated mechanism. An interesting hypothesis suggests a bidirectional relationship between the MedDiet and the gut microbiome, where gut microbiota assembly and biosynthetic capacity are responsive to the diet; in return, the microbiome-reachable nutrients shape and modulate the microbiome toward a characteristic probiotic state. It can be speculated that that primary health benefits of the MedDiet exerted via the gut microbiome are mediated by the bioactive compounds transformed by the microbiome. Furthermore, it is possible that additional probiotic properties of the organisms promoted by diet adherence have secondary benefits. As more detailed omic-based studies take place, more evidence on the MedDiet as a core generic probiotic microbiome modulation strategy surface. However, individual-specific microbiome compositions might impose personal variations on the diet outcome. Therefore, a prospective strategy of a fine-tuned precision nutrition approach might deliver optimized benefits of the MedDiet.

Keywords: Gut microbiome; Mediterranean diet; Metagenome; Microbiome; Microbiota.