Unraveling the Gut Microbiota: Implications for Precision Nutrition and Personalized Medicine

Abstract

Recent studies have shown a growing interest in the complex relationship between the human gut microbiota, metabolism, and overall health. This review aims to explore the gut microbiota-host association, focusing on its implications for precision nutrition and personalized medicine. The objective is to highlight how gut microbiota modulate metabolic and immune functions, contributing to disease susceptibility and wellbeing. The review synthesizes recent research findings, analyzing key studies on the influence of gut microbiota on lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, intestinal health, neurobehavioral regulation, and endocrine signaling. Data were drawn from both experimental and clinical trials examining microbiota-host interactions relevant to precision nutrition. Our findings highlight the essential role of gut microbiota-derived metabolites in regulating host metabolism, including lipid and glucose pathways. These metabolites have been found to influence immune responses and gut barrier integrity. Additionally, the microbiota impacts broader physiological processes, including neuroendocrine regulation, which could be crucial for dietary interventions. Therefore, understanding the molecular mechanisms of dietary-microbiota-host interactions is pivotal for advancing personalized nutrition strategies. Tailored dietary recommendations based on individual gut microbiota compositions hold promise for improving health outcomes, potentially revolutionizing future healthcare approaches across diverse populations.

Keywords: gut microbiota; metabolism; microbiota–host interactions; personalized medicine; precision nutrition.

Figure 1

Standard experimental flowchart to obtain the final library pool to sequence. The diagram illustrates the steps involved in both amplicon sequencing and shotgun sequencing. Starting from study design and sample collection from healthy patients and patients with disease, the process includes DNA extraction and quality control. Amplicon sequencing involves target amplification, purification, barcoding, and library pooling, while shotgun sequencing involves total DNA tagmentation, barcoding, and library pooling. Quality control is a critical step throughout both processes.

Figure 2

Main features of 16s rRNA amplicon-based and shotgun sequencing approaches. Green and red colors indicate the characteristic that one of the two methods shows as an advantage. In yellow are the features that can be potentially investigated: targeted amplification is able to study other domains (for example mycobiota) if another gene marker is used (ITS region), or a predictive functional profile may be reached.

Figure 3

Schematic representation of the interactions between gut microbiota, their metabolites, and their effects on human metabolism and health.