Milk Bioactive Compounds and Gut Microbiota Modulation: The Role of Whey Proteins and Milk Oligosaccharides

TL;DR

This review explores how milk compounds like whey proteins and oligosaccharides may influence gut microbiota and potentially treat gut dysbiosis-related conditions.

Contribution

The paper provides a comprehensive review of how specific milk bioactive compounds modulate gut microbiota and their potential therapeutic applications.

Findings

Milk oligosaccharides and whey proteins show potential to modulate gut microbiota composition.

These compounds may have therapeutic applications for gut dysbiosis and related diseases.

The mechanisms of action of these milk bioactives are being actively studied for health benefits.

Abstract

A strong correlation between the occurrence of various pathological conditions and intestinal dysbiosis is supported by a range of strong evidence. Vice versa, many pathologies have been shown, in turn, to be responsible for alterations in the gut microbiota, a condition that can worsen illness outcomes and response to therapies. For these reasons, great efforts have been made, and studies are still ongoing, to elucidate the mechanisms underlying gut microbiota alterations and to search for pharmacologic or other strategies that can effectively restore the gut microbiota. In this narrative review, we examined the most significant literature on the role of some milk bioactive compounds, such as milk oligosaccharides and whey proteins, in modulating the composition of the gut microbiota and the underlying mechanisms of action, with the aim of investigating the impact of the microbiota changes mediated by these milk bioactive molecules on human health, and their potential use as therapeutics to treat or adjuvate the treatment of gut dysbiosis and associated pathologies.

Figures