Biomolecules: Mulberries May Improve Gut Health and Metabolism

Compounds found in mulberries may reshape the composition of the gut microbiota and influence metabolism. Moreover, a combination of different compounds in the fruit appeared to work significantly better than each compound individually. The study was published in the journal Biomolecules.

Scientists from Wroclaw Medical University reviewed studies on white and black mulberries. The key active compounds were 1-deoxynojirimycin (DNJ), anthocyanins, as well as polyphenols and polysaccharides. The mechanism appears to involve these compounds increasing the number of beneficial bacteria and their production of short-chain fatty acids — acetate, propionate and butyrate — which are important for gut health and metabolism.

In experiments, this led to improvements in several indicators associated with metabolic syndrome and gut health. Particularly telling were experiments involving microbiota transplantation: when microbes from “treated” animals were transferred to other animals, the recipients also showed improved metabolism. This suggests that the effects were driven specifically by changes in the gut microbiota rather than by the direct action of the compounds themselves.

Importantly, the effect depended heavily on which part of the plant was used and how it was processed — meaning that simply eating mulberries does not necessarily produce a therapeutic effect. The key limitation is that all of the findings came from animal studies, and no clinical trials in humans have been conducted yet. Therefore, mulberries should be regarded as a promising subject for further research rather than an established treatment for metabolic disorders. Nevertheless, the study fits into growing scientific interest in how plant-based foods affect health through the gut microbiota.

The relationship between diet, the gut microbiota and health is one of the hottest topics in science. Trillions of bacteria in the gut process food and produce substances that affect metabolism, the immune system and even the brain. Plant foods rich in fiber and polyphenols are considered “food” for beneficial microbes. But, as this study shows, the specific food and the way it is prepared also matter.

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