Microbiome from the Animal and Plant Protein and Cardiovascular Health Study

Microbiome changes were characterized in response to dietary interventions that were devised to determine interacting effects of protein source and saturated fat level on blood lipoproteins and risk for cardiovascular disease. Inter-individual variation in the composition of the human gut microbiome was examined in relation to demographic and anthropometric traits, and to changes in dietary saturated fat intake and protein source. One hundred and nine healthy men and women aged 21-65, with BMI of 18-36 were randomized, after a two week baseline diet, to high (15% total energy (E)) or low (7% E) saturated fat groups and randomly received three diets (four weeks each) in which the major protein source (25% E) was red meat (beef, pork) (12% E), white meat (chicken, turkey) (12% E), and non-meat sources (nuts, beans, soy) (16% E). Taxonomic characterization using 16S ribosomal RNA was performed on fecal samples collected at each diet completion.