A new path toward microbiome-informed precision nutrition has been discovered through a digital version of the gut microbiome metabolism. This research focused on short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which are beneficial for host metabolism, reducing systemic inflammation, improving cardiovascular health, lowering cancer risk, and more. However, SCFA levels have been known to vary widely between individuals consuming the same diets.
The new research aimed to stimulate these personalized microbiome responses to diet. Researchers achieved this by using a “digital twin” to simulate these responses. Specifically, they used microbial community-scale metabolic modeling (MCMM) to predict individual-specific SCFA actions in response to diet, prebiotic, and probiotic inputs. The results of this study are detailed in a paper published in Nature Microbiology.
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