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Open AccessVollständige AnalyseJun 21, 2026

Interactions between Dietary Antioxidants, Dietary Fiber and the Gut Microbiome: Their Putative Role in Inflammation and Cancer

This non-experimental narrative review maps proposed mechanisms linking diet, gut microbiome, and disease without generating its own effect estimates or establishing causality.

EvidenzniveauDNarrativ / Tier / in vitro / mechanistisch
Studientypnarrative_review
Stichprobe
EffektrichtungUnzureichend
SicherheitSehr niedrig
Klinische AnwendbarkeitSehr niedrig
Überinterpretationsrisiko1/5 · Niedrig
PICO
PopulationGeneral human population (no specific age group, clinical condition, or demographic characteristic defined)
InterventionDietary antioxidants and dietary fiber as modulators of the gut microbiome
Komparator
EndpunktGut microbiome composition modulation by dietary antioxidants; Gut microbiome composition modulation by dietary fiber; Systemic inflammatory markers; Colorectal cancer risk or incidence; Microbial metabolite production (SCFAs)

Ergebniszusammenfassung

EndpunktEffekt95%-KISicherheitKlinische RelevanzAnmerkungen
Gut microbiome composition modulation by dietary antioxidantsnot calculable — narrative review, in the pooled estimateSehr niedrig
Gut microbiome composition modulation by dietary fibernot calculable — narrative review, in the pooled estimateSehr niedrig
Systemic inflammatory markersnot calculable — narrative review, in the pooled estimateSehr niedrig
Colorectal cancer risk or incidencenot calculable — narrative review, in the pooled estimateSehr niedrig
Microbial metabolite production (SCFAs)not calculable — narrative review, in the pooled estimateSehr niedrig

Kontext

The relationship between diet, gut microbiota, and chronic diseases such as cancer is a growing area of investigation. Narrative reviews synthesize the state of the field but do not replace systematic reviews with meta-analysis. The absence of a registered protocol and formal risk-of-bias assessment limits the inferential weight of this publication.

Was die Studie zeigte

The study collected no primary data and conducted no meta-analysis: it narratively compiled prior studies. The authors propose that dietary antioxidants (vitamins, flavonoids, carotenoids) and dietary fiber modulate microbiota composition and, consequently, inflammatory and carcinogenic pathways. No effect size, 95% CI, or heterogeneity test was calculated by the authors themselves. The associations described derive from primary studies of heterogeneous design and quality, including animal models and observational studies.

Wie es durchgeführt wurde

Narrative (non-systematic) review of literature published between 2005 and 2024, retrieved from multiple databases with predefined keywords. No protocol registration, PRISMA criteria, risk-of-bias assessment (AMSTAR-2 not applicable due to absence of meta-analysis), or reproducible search strategy with adequate detail is reported. The total number of included studies is not stated.

Effektgröße

No effect size was calculated by this review. Numerical data cited belong to individual primary studies, not consolidated here.

Bias-Risiko

Narrative review with no registered protocol, no formal risk-of-bias assessment (AMSTAR-2 inapplicable; appropriate tools would be SANRA or Baxter scale for narrative reviews), and no quantitative synthesis. Study selection is potentially subject to confirmation bias. Heterogeneity of primary designs (in vitro, animal, observational, RCT) precludes unified causal conclusions.

Interpretationsgrenze

Was diese Studie NICHT beweist

This study does not prove that dietary antioxidants or fiber prevent or treat cancer, nor that they modulate the microbiome in a clinically relevant manner in humans. It does not establish causality, dose-response, or generalizability to populations with specific clinical conditions.

In der klinischen Praxis

This review does not provide sufficient basis to change clinical practice in isolation. Clinicians may use the document as a conceptual map to identify research gaps, but therapeutic decisions require evidence from robust RCTs or meta-analyses. Recommendations to increase dietary fiber and antioxidants already exist in evidence-based guidelines independent of this review.

Einschränkungen

Narrative review with no registered protocol, no formal risk-of-bias assessment (AMSTAR-2 inapplicable; appropriate tools would be SANRA or Baxter scale for narrative reviews), and no quantitative synthesis. Study selection is potentially subject to confirmation bias. Heterogeneity of primary designs (in vitro, animal, observational, RCT) precludes unified causal conclusions.

Was noch fehlt

Long-duration RCTs evaluating hard clinical outcomes (cancer incidence, mortality, measurable inflammatory events) with standardized dietary interventions and metagenomic characterization of the microbiome are needed to establish causality.

Technischer Anhang

Versionsverlauf

  • 1.0 · 2026-06-21 — Auto-generated under Evidence Standard v1.0
Quelle: DOI 10.3390/ijms25158250 · 2024

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