Reference Number: 348
Year: 2019
Link: Link to original paper
Health: Gut Microbiome - Creating Healthier Bread to Support Optimal Gut Health
Nutrition: Polyphenols
Inclusions: Lemon
Summary
Polyphenols have been examined for their beneficial effects on health, particularly in rodents, but their lifelong effects are unclear. Lemons (Citrus limon), containing lemon polyphenols (LPP), are widely consumed but the effects of LPP on aging are unknown. Therefore, we examined the effects of LPP on aging such as aging-related scores, locomotor activity, cognitive functions, and intestinal microbiome using senescence-accelerated mouse prone 1 (SAMP1) and senescence-accelerated resistant mouse 1 (SAMR1). All mice had ad libitum access to water (P1_water group, SAMR1) or 0.1% LPP (P1_LPP group). In the P1_LPP group, LPP intake prolonged the lifespan by approximately 3 weeks and delayed increases in aging-related scores (e.g., periophthalmic lesions) and locomotor atrophy. The P1_water group showed large changes in the intestinal microbiome structure, while the R1 and P1_LPP groups did not. The phylum Bacteroidetes/Firmicutes, which is associated with obesity, in the P1_water group was significantly lower and higher than that in the P1_LPP and R1 groups, respectively. Although the relative abundance of Lactobacillus significantly increased in both P1 groups with aging, the P1_LPP group showed a significantly lower increase than the P1_water group. Thus, lifelong intake of LPP may have anti-aging effects on both phenotypes and the intestinal environment.
What does this mean for a Baker?
This study is very important as it highlights the potential benefits of consuming lemon regularly for a long period of time. The study found that regularly consuming lemon on a long-term basis was linked to anti-ageing effects for ourselves and our gut microbiome. Lactobacillus species in the gut microbiome usually increase with age, lowering the diversity of your microbes. Lemon was found to keep the biome in balance with Lactobacillus species, suggesting that it has an anti-ageing effect on our microbiome too. Why not try adding more lemons to your sourdough bakes by making this Sourdough Lemon Curd Cake?