Microbiota Modulation through Dietary Polysaccharides
Summary
Dietary polysaccharides represent a broad class of complex carbohydrates that escape host enzymatic digestion and reach the distal intestine, where they serve as substrates for resident microbiota. Distinct polysaccharides are fermented by specialised consortia of bacterial taxa, yielding short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and other metabolites that regulate mucosal barrier integrity, local and systemic immunity, and host energy homeostasis. The structural diversity of polysaccharides—varying in monosaccharide composition, glycosidic linkages and degree of polymerisation—shapes the composition and function of the gut ecosystem. Emerging evidence highlights how tailored supplementation with prebiotic fibres such as inulin, pectin or konjac glucomannan can restore dysbiotic communities in inflammatory and metabolic disorders, including colitis, obesity and type 2 diabetes. Metagenomic and metabolomic analyses have begun to unravel the enzymatic repertoires and cross-feeding interactions that underpin degradative pathways and the production of bioactive compounds. Translating these mechanistic insights into dietary guidelines holds promise for personalised nutrition strategies and novel therapeutic avenues that harness microbiota–host symbiosis. Interdisciplinary efforts integrating glycomics, microbial ecology and clinical trials are advancing our capacity to manipulate the microbiota through diet for global human health.
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Microbiota Modulation through Dietary Polysaccharides publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in microbiota modulation through dietary polysaccharides across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Dietary polysaccharides: complex carbohydrates resistant to host digestion that are metabolised by gut microorganisms.
Microbiota: the community of microorganisms residing in the gastrointestinal tract, including bacteria, archaea, viruses and fungi.
Prebiotics: non-digestible substrates that selectively stimulate the growth or activity of beneficial gut microorganisms.
Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs): small organic acids produced by microbial fermentation of polysaccharides, influencing host metabolism and immunity.
Glycosidic linkage: the bond connecting monosaccharide units in a polysaccharide, determining its structure and fermentability.
References
- Mannose enhances intestinal immune barrier function and dextran sulfate sodium salt-induced colitis in mice by regulating intestinal microbiota. Frontiers in Immunology (2024).
- Effects of In Vitro Fermentation of Polysialic Acid and Sialic Acid on Gut Microbial Community Composition and Metabolites in Healthy Humans. Foods (2024).
- Konjac glucomannan polysaccharide and inulin oligosaccharide ameliorate dextran sodium sulfate-induced colitis and alterations in fecal microbiota and short-chain fatty acids in C57BL/6J mice. BioMedicine (2021).
- Konjac Glucomannan: A functional food additive for preventing metabolic syndrome. Journal of Functional Foods (2024).
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