Princeton Studies Link 2 Gut-Health Mechanisms to Plant Proteins and Mammalian Metabolism
Updated
Updated · communitynews.org · Aug 19
Princeton Studies Link 2 Gut-Health Mechanisms to Plant Proteins and Mammalian Metabolism
1 articles · Updated · communitynews.org · Aug 19
Summary
Two Princeton studies published this summer found that indigestible plant proteins can steer gut bacteria toward healthier metabolites, while mammalian metabolism also generates some compounds long attributed only to microbes.
In the PNAS study, researchers identified “Prif” proteins that resist digestion like fiber; together with fiber, they increased beneficial phenols such as phenylpropionate and hippuric acid and reduced harmful metabolites including p-cresol sulfate.
The team said fiber appeared to protect the intestine’s mucus lining, while Prif gave microbes alternative indigestible protein to process, helping explain the shift in bacterial output.
In Nature Metabolism, isotope tracing in animals and human cells showed several phenol and indole metabolites stayed elevated even after antibiotics disrupted the microbiome, pointing to a host metabolic source.
The findings add nuance to plant-based nutrition research and could inform more precise diet or microbiome therapies, though the researchers said broader human studies are still needed.