A summary of the article “Regular Consumption of Black Tea Kombucha Modulates the Gut Microbiota in Individuals with and without Obesity”
Background
The article explores the impact of regularly consuming black tea kombucha on the gut microbiota of individuals, specifically comparing those with normal weight and those with obesity. The background highlights that kombucha, a fermented beverage made from a Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast (SCOBY), has shown potential in influencing gut microbiota, though clinical trials were previously lacking.
Methods
The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of regular black tea kombucha consumption on intestinal health in both normal weight and obese individuals. A pre-post clinical intervention study was conducted over an 8-week period. Forty-six participants were involved, divided into two groups: 23 with normal weight who consumed kombucha, and 23 with obesity who also consumed kombucha. Samples of blood, urine, and stool were collected at the beginning of the study (baseline, T0) and after 8 weeks of intervention (T8).
Results
Analysis of the black tea kombucha used in the study identified 145 phenolic compounds, primarily consisting of flavonoids (81%) and phenolic acids (19%).
The results indicated that regular kombucha consumption positively influenced the gut microbiota in both groups. The study found that kombucha consumption favoured commensal bacteria, such as Bacteroidota and Akkermanciaceae, with this effect being particularly notable in the obese group. Subdoligranulum, known to be a butyrate producer, also increased in the obese group after drinking kombucha. The study also observed that genera often associated with obesity, Ruminococcus and Dorea, which were elevated in the obese group at baseline, were reduced after kombucha consumption, becoming similar to levels observed in the normal weight group.
Beyond bacteria, fungal diversity also increased in both groups after kombucha consumption. A greater abundance of Saccharomyces was observed in both groups, while there were reductions in Exophiala and Rhodotorula, especially among the obese participants. Furthermore, Pichia and Dekkera, identified as key microorganisms present in kombucha itself, were found to be biomarkers after the intervention period.
Conclusions
In conclusion, the study determined that regular kombucha consumption had a beneficial impact on the gut microbiota in both normal weight and obese individuals. The positive effects were observed to be more pronounced in the obese group. This suggests that regular black tea kombucha consumption may be especially beneficial for individuals with obesity. The trial was registered with the Brazilian Clinical Trial Registry – ReBEC.
References
Costa, M. A. de C., da Silva Duarte, V., Fraiz, G. M., Cardoso, R. R., da Silva, A., Martino, H. S. D., dos Santos D’Almeida, C. T., Ferreira, M. S. L., Corich, V., Hamaker, B. R., Giacomini, A., Bressan, J., & Barros, F. A. R. de. (2025). Regular Consumption of Black Tea Kombucha Modulates the Gut Microbiota in Individuals with and without Obesity. The Journal of Nutrition, 155(5), 1331–1349. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tjnut.2024.12.013
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