Polyunsaturated fatty acids and vitamin K1 modulate the intestinal microbiome as assessed by an in vitro fermentation model

The effect of EPA, DHA, and vitamin K1 on the gut microbiota was assessed by measuring microbial community composition and diversity (alpha and beta-diversity) and microbial activity [pH, gas pressure, and production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs)]. DHA, EPA, and vitamin K1 exerted a modulatory effect on the gut microbiome and related metabolic activity by increasing SCFAs, which was caused by their effect on microbial alpha- and beta-diversity and characteristic changes in gut microbial composition, such as an increase in the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes (F/B) ratio and in the Veillonella and Dialister abundances.