Changes in the fecal polar metabolome due to AG1 supplementation in the SHIME® model: A proof of principle study

Abstract

Metabolomics is a critical approach to fully understand the metabolic repercussions of a nutritional supplement on the gut microbiota. Here, a proof of principle study was conducted via a metabolomic survey of polar metabolites to explore the effect of AG1 on the metabolic output of the human gut microbiota, in vitro, using the Simulator of the Human Intestinal Microbial Ecosystem® (SHIME). Aliquots were isolated from the fecal slurry at baseline (0 h), 1 h, 24 h, and 48 h of colonic fermentation simulation. Chemical analysis at these timepoints detected a total of 165 metabolites with 57, 21, and 14 specific metabolites being significantly altered by AG1 relative to the blank controls at 1 h, 24 h, and 48 h, respectively. Many of these metabolites likely resulted from AG1 directly as a supplement, but several of these metabolites also likely arose specifically from microbial metabolism.

Keywords

• Gut microbiome
• Metabolome
• Nutritional supplements
• Gut-brain axis