Effects of dietary supplementation of fish oil plus vitamin D 3 on gut microbiota and fecal metabolites, and their correlation with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease risk factors: a randomized controlled trial

• Published in: Food & function 2024-03, Vol.15 (5), p.2616-2627
• Main Authors: Li, Xueqi, Pan, Chi, Ma, Wenjun, Yang, Ting, Wang, Chong, Han, Weiwei, Zhang, Wei, Li, Hui, Li, Zhongxia, Zhao, Ting, Guo, Xiao-Fei, Li, Duo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 2042-6496; 2042-650X
• DOI: 10.1039/D3FO02319B

We previously reported that fish oil plus vitamin D (FO + D) could ameliorate nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, it is unclear whether the beneficial effects of FO + D on NAFLD are associated with gut microbiota and fecal metabolites. In this study, we investigated the effects of dietary supplementation of FO + D on gut microbiota and fecal metabolites and their correlation with NAFLD risk factors. : A total of 61 subjects were randomly divided into three groups: FO + D group (2.34 g day of eicosatetraenoic acid (EPA) + docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) + 1680 IU vitamin D ), FO group (2.34 g day of EPA + DHA), and corn oil (CO) group (1.70 g d linoleic acid). Blood and fecal samples were collected at the baseline and day 90. Gut microbiota were analyzed through 16S rRNA PCR analysis, and fecal co-metabolites were determined untargeted ultraperformance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS). : The relative abundance of ( = 0.03) and ( = 0.05) increased, whereas that of ( = 0.02) and ( = 0.04) decreased in the FO + D group compared with the CO group. Besides, changes in tetracosahexaenoic acid (THA, C24:6 n-3) ( = 0.03) levels were significantly enhanced, whereas 8,9-DiHETrE levels ( < 0.05) were reduced in the FO + D group compared with the CO group. The changes in 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D levels in the fecal samples were inversely associated with insulin resistance, which was determined using the homeostatic model assessment model (HOMA-IR, = -0.29, = 0.02), and changes in 8,9-DiHETrE levels were positively associated with adiponectin levels ( = -0.43, < 0.05). : The present results indicate that the beneficial effects of FO + D on NAFLD may be partially attributed to the impact on gut microbiota and fecal metabolites.