Red Ginseng Dietary Fiber Shows Prebiotic Potential by Modulating Gut Microbiota in Dogs
Hyokeun Song, Junbum Lee, Saehah Yi, Woo-Hyun Kim, Yuna Kim, Beomkwan Namgoong, A. S. Choe, Gunhee Cho, Jangmi Shin, Young‐Sik Park, Min Su Kim, Seongbeom Cho
Abstract
The canine gut microbiota is an attractive model for translational studies, as it responds to dietary interventions similarly to those in humans. Investigating the gut microbiota of household dogs that share the environment with humans can produce highly generalizable and reproducible results owing to their representativeness of the general canine population. This double-blind and longitudinal study investigated the impact of dietary fiber derived from red ginseng on the gut microbiota of household dogs. Red ginseng dietary fiber altered the canine gut microbiota by increasing diversity, enriching short-chain fatty acid-producing microbes, decreasing potential pathogens, and increasing the complexity of microbial interactions. These findings indicate that red ginseng-derived dietary fiber may promote canine gut health by modulating gut microbiota, suggesting the possibility of its use as a potential prebiotic.