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Branched short-chain fatty acids (BCFAs), the bacterial products of the catabolism of branched-chain amino acids, are proposed as markers for colonic protein fermentation. IBS is a gastrointestinal disorder characterized by low-grade inflammation and intestinal dysbiosis. The low-FODMAP diet (LFD) has increasingly been applied as first-line therapy for managing Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms, although it decreases the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), well known for their anti-inflammatory action. In parallel, high protein consumption increases BCFAs. Protein fermentation alters the colonic microbiome through nitrogenous metabolites production, known for their detrimental effects on the intestinal barrier promoting inflammation.
Halmos et al. [33] assessed the effects of an LFD versus a typical Australian diet on fecal biomarkers. This study included 33 participants (27 with IBS and 6 healthy controls). Volunteers followed two diets differing in FODMAP content (LFD contained 3.05 g, whereas the typical Australian diet contained 23.7 g of FODMAPs, respectively). At baseline, isovaleric and isobutyric levels were lower in IBS patients compared to controls, though no difference was noticed during the dietary intervention [33].
Recently, Nordin and her team investigated the effects of different dietary patterns on fecal microbiota, fecal fatty acids, and plasma metabolome in IBS symptoms. One hundred and three IBS patients were randomized into three groups in this double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial. Each group followed all the dietary plans (placebo, gluten, and FODMAP) but in a different sequence. Placebo consisted of 18 g of sucrose, gluten intervention contained 17.3 g of gluten, and the daily dose of FODMAP intake was 50 g. During the intervention, patients filled in questionnaires, and they underwent blood and fecal analyses and anthropometric measurements periodically. Results showed a reduction in plasma levels of isobutyrate in the FODMAP group compared to the placebo, while in feces, a decrease was observed in isovalerate after the gluten diet.