Daily consumption of orange juice modulated intestinal microbiota and improved glucose and lipids metabolism in women: a controlled clinical trial. Daily consumption of orange juice modulated intestinal microbiota

Background: Orange juice is a natural source of sugars, vitamins, minerals and flavanones and is associated with health benefits such as lowering cholesterol and insulin resistance. In addition, previous in vitro studies have suggested that orange juice could modulate the intestinal microbiota. Objective: To investigate the impact of the habitual consumption of 100% pure orange juice on the intestinal microbiota and on the metabolic results in a controlled clinical trial. Methods: Ten women maintained a regular diet without orange juice for 30 days (OJ-free Diet), followed by a regular diet supplemented with 300 ml/d of orange juice for 60 days (OJ-Diet), and followed by 30 days of regular diet without orange juice (Washout). Biochemical, anthropometric and dietary parameters were monitored, and blood, urine and feces samples were collected at the beginning and every 30 days, until the end of the study. Urinary metabolites were identified by UHPLC and the microbiota composition was evaluated by RNA r16S. Results: Analysis of the biochemical parameters at the end of the orange juice period showed a reduction of glucose (-6.5%), insulin (-33%) and insulin resistance (-44%). There was also reduction of total cholesterol (-14%), LDL (-16%) and triglycerides (-30%). After the washout period, all biochemical parameters returned to the initial values. There were no changes in body weight or body fat during the experiment period. Intestinal bacteria Lactobacillus spp; Arkkermansia spp. and Ruminococcus spp. increased with daily consumption of orange juice and were correlated with the reduction of blood serum triglycerides, cholesterol, LDL-C, glucose, insulin and HOMA-IR, and with the increase of HDL-C. Conclusions: Orange juice had a prebiotic effect by modulating the intestinal microbiota and improving glycemia and blood lipids metabolic profile in healthy young women.