Dietary fiber intake reshapes tryptophan metabolism, promoting gut health and reducing disease risks

By Dr. Liji Thomas, MDReviewed by Benedette Cuffari, M.Sc.Jun 27 2024 Tryptophan is a key amino acid in the human diet that is broken down by gut microorganisms, which convert it into multiple metabolites that have various effects on human health. A recent study published in the journal Nature Microbiology examines tryptophan metabolism in response to increased dietary fiber intake.

Other tryptophan metabolites maintain epithelial barriers and immunologic function, regulate inflammation and key metabolic pathways, and provide protection against infectious disease. Conversely, some molecules, like indole, are metabolized by the liver into a toxin that accumulates in chronic kidney disease, subsequently exacerbating the condition. High gut indole levels also increase the risk of persistent Clostridiodes difficile infection of the colon.

Recent studies have indicated a potential association between fermentable fiber intake and tryptophan metabolism. The current experimental study seeks to explore the role of fermentable carbohydrates on tryptophan metabolism in the gut. What did the study show? In the three-community model, both in vivo and in vitro experiments showed that E. coli competed with C. Sporogenes to metabolize tryptophan. E. coli produces indole, whereas C. sporogenes produces ILA and IPA.

While simple sugars in the diet do not reach the colon, they are derived from the breakdown of dietary fiber. When pectin, a complex carbohydrate, was added to the growth medium, Bacteroides thetaiotamicron broke down pectin into simple sugars, thereby cross-feeding E. coli. Human fecal cultures showed similar phenomena, thus supporting the observation that indole levels decline with increased dietary fiber intake. When fecal microbiota was transplanted to gnotobiotic mice, the results were similar, demonstrating that dietary fiber suppresses indole production by multiple gut species.

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