Impact of Vitamins, Antibiotics, Probiotics, and History of COVID-19 on the Gut Microbiome in Ulcerative Colitis Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study

<i>Background and Objectives</i>: The human gut microbiome is essential for the health of the host and is affected by antibiotics and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The gut microbiome is recognized as a contributing factor in the development of ulcerative colitis. Specific vitamins...

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Main Authors: Zane Straume, Nikola Krūmiņa, Ilze Elbere, Maija Rozenberga, Renārs Erts, Dace Rudzīte, Anna Proskurina, Angelika Krumina
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-02-01
Series:Medicina
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/61/2/284
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author Zane Straume
Nikola Krūmiņa
Ilze Elbere
Maija Rozenberga
Renārs Erts
Dace Rudzīte
Anna Proskurina
Angelika Krumina
author_facet Zane Straume
Nikola Krūmiņa
Ilze Elbere
Maija Rozenberga
Renārs Erts
Dace Rudzīte
Anna Proskurina
Angelika Krumina
author_sort Zane Straume
collection DOAJ
description <i>Background and Objectives</i>: The human gut microbiome is essential for the health of the host and is affected by antibiotics and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The gut microbiome is recognized as a contributing factor in the development of ulcerative colitis. Specific vitamins and probiotics have been demonstrated to positively influence the microbiome by enhancing the prevalence of expected beneficial microorganisms. <i>Materials and Methods</i>: Forty-nine ulcerative colitis (UC) outpatients from Riga East Clinical University Hospital were enrolled in this cross-sectional study from June 2021 to December 2021. All patients were divided into groups based on history of COVID-19 (COVID-19 positive vs. COVID-19 negative) in the last six months. Information about antibiotic, probiotic, and vitamin intake were outlined, and faecal samples were collected. The MetaPhlAn v.2.6.0 tool was used for the taxonomic classification of the gut microbiome metagenome data. Statistical analysis was performed using R 4.2.1. <i>Results</i>: Of the 49 patients enrolled, 31 (63%) were male and 18 (37%) were female. Coronavirus disease 2019 was found in 14 (28.6%) patients in the last 6 months. <i>Verrucomicrobia</i> was statistically significantly lower in the COVID-19 positive group (M = 0.05; SD = 0.11) compared to the COVID-19 negative group (M = 0.5; SD = 1.22), <i>p</i> = 0.03. Antibiotic non-users had more <i>Firmicutes</i> in their microbiome than antibiotic users (<i>p</i> = 0.008). The most used vitamin supplement was vitamin D (N = 18), fifteen (42.9%) of the patients were COVID-19 negative and 3 (21.4%) were COVID-19 positive over the last six months (<i>p</i> > 0.05). Vitamin C users had more <i>Firmicutes</i> in their gut microbiome compared to non-users (Md = 72.8 [IQR: 66.6; 78.7] vs. Md = 60.1 [IQR: 42.4; 67.7]), <i>p</i> = 0.01. <i>Conclusions</i>: Antibiotic non-users had more <i>Firmicutes</i> than antibiotic users in their gut microbiome. Only vitamin C had statistically significant results; in users, more <i>Firmicutes</i> were observed. A mild course of COVID-19 may not influence ulcerative colitis patients’ gut microbiome.
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spelling doaj-art-99659206792e40199a047f50a6f8da4a2025-08-20T02:44:46ZengMDPI AGMedicina1010-660X1648-91442025-02-0161228410.3390/medicina61020284Impact of Vitamins, Antibiotics, Probiotics, and History of COVID-19 on the Gut Microbiome in Ulcerative Colitis Patients: A Cross-Sectional StudyZane Straume0Nikola Krūmiņa1Ilze Elbere2Maija Rozenberga3Renārs Erts4Dace Rudzīte5Anna Proskurina6Angelika Krumina7Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition Clinic, Riga East Clinical University Hospital, LV-1038 Riga, LatviaDepartment of Internal Diseases, Riga Stradins University, LV-1007 Riga, LatviaLatvian Biomedical Research and Study Centre, LV-1067 Riga, LatviaLatvian Biomedical Research and Study Centre, LV-1067 Riga, LatviaThe Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Latvia, LV-1004 Riga, LatviaGastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition Clinic, Riga East Clinical University Hospital, LV-1038 Riga, LatviaDepartment of Internal Diseases, Riga Stradins University, LV-1007 Riga, LatviaDepartment of Internal Diseases, Riga Stradins University, LV-1007 Riga, Latvia<i>Background and Objectives</i>: The human gut microbiome is essential for the health of the host and is affected by antibiotics and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The gut microbiome is recognized as a contributing factor in the development of ulcerative colitis. Specific vitamins and probiotics have been demonstrated to positively influence the microbiome by enhancing the prevalence of expected beneficial microorganisms. <i>Materials and Methods</i>: Forty-nine ulcerative colitis (UC) outpatients from Riga East Clinical University Hospital were enrolled in this cross-sectional study from June 2021 to December 2021. All patients were divided into groups based on history of COVID-19 (COVID-19 positive vs. COVID-19 negative) in the last six months. Information about antibiotic, probiotic, and vitamin intake were outlined, and faecal samples were collected. The MetaPhlAn v.2.6.0 tool was used for the taxonomic classification of the gut microbiome metagenome data. Statistical analysis was performed using R 4.2.1. <i>Results</i>: Of the 49 patients enrolled, 31 (63%) were male and 18 (37%) were female. Coronavirus disease 2019 was found in 14 (28.6%) patients in the last 6 months. <i>Verrucomicrobia</i> was statistically significantly lower in the COVID-19 positive group (M = 0.05; SD = 0.11) compared to the COVID-19 negative group (M = 0.5; SD = 1.22), <i>p</i> = 0.03. Antibiotic non-users had more <i>Firmicutes</i> in their microbiome than antibiotic users (<i>p</i> = 0.008). The most used vitamin supplement was vitamin D (N = 18), fifteen (42.9%) of the patients were COVID-19 negative and 3 (21.4%) were COVID-19 positive over the last six months (<i>p</i> > 0.05). Vitamin C users had more <i>Firmicutes</i> in their gut microbiome compared to non-users (Md = 72.8 [IQR: 66.6; 78.7] vs. Md = 60.1 [IQR: 42.4; 67.7]), <i>p</i> = 0.01. <i>Conclusions</i>: Antibiotic non-users had more <i>Firmicutes</i> than antibiotic users in their gut microbiome. Only vitamin C had statistically significant results; in users, more <i>Firmicutes</i> were observed. A mild course of COVID-19 may not influence ulcerative colitis patients’ gut microbiome.https://www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/61/2/284ulcerative colitismicrobiomeprobioticsvitaminsantibioticsCOVID-19
spellingShingle Zane Straume
Nikola Krūmiņa
Ilze Elbere
Maija Rozenberga
Renārs Erts
Dace Rudzīte
Anna Proskurina
Angelika Krumina
Impact of Vitamins, Antibiotics, Probiotics, and History of COVID-19 on the Gut Microbiome in Ulcerative Colitis Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study
Medicina
ulcerative colitis
microbiome
probiotics
vitamins
antibiotics
COVID-19
title Impact of Vitamins, Antibiotics, Probiotics, and History of COVID-19 on the Gut Microbiome in Ulcerative Colitis Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study
title_full Impact of Vitamins, Antibiotics, Probiotics, and History of COVID-19 on the Gut Microbiome in Ulcerative Colitis Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study
title_fullStr Impact of Vitamins, Antibiotics, Probiotics, and History of COVID-19 on the Gut Microbiome in Ulcerative Colitis Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study
title_full_unstemmed Impact of Vitamins, Antibiotics, Probiotics, and History of COVID-19 on the Gut Microbiome in Ulcerative Colitis Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study
title_short Impact of Vitamins, Antibiotics, Probiotics, and History of COVID-19 on the Gut Microbiome in Ulcerative Colitis Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study
title_sort impact of vitamins antibiotics probiotics and history of covid 19 on the gut microbiome in ulcerative colitis patients a cross sectional study
topic ulcerative colitis
microbiome
probiotics
vitamins
antibiotics
COVID-19
url https://www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/61/2/284
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