Cranberries may aid the gut microbiome

Using the model beneficial bacterium bifidobacteria, researchers tested the hypothesis that cranberries might be a candidate for a new supplement to boost gut health. Bifidobacteria are found in adults to some degree but the highest concentrations are found in the gut microbiome of newborn, breast-fed babies.

This study provides the first evidence that certain bifidobacteria do consume xyloglucans, and the ones that do exhibit a special metabolism that is not typical. Specifically, these bifidobacteria produce formic acid while consuming xyloglucans and less lactic acid than is typically secreted.

See:

Ezgi Özcan, Jiadong Sun, David C. Rowley, David A. Sela. A human gut commensal ferments cranberry carbohydrates to produce formate. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 2017; AEM.01097-17 DOI: 10.1128/AEM.01097-17

Posted by Dr. Tim Sandle