Drinking Water Source and Intake Are Associated with Distinct Gut Microbiota Signatures in US and UK Populations
Vanhaecke T, Bretin O, Poirel M, Tap J · The Journal of Nutrition · 2022 January
DOI 10.1093/jn/nxab312
Objective
To investigate the associations between plain drinking water source and intake with gut and oral microbiota compositions in a population-based cohort.
Conclusions
Drinking water source, including bottled, tap, filtered, or well water, ranked among the key contributing factors explaining the gut microbiota variation, accounting for 13% (Faith's phylogenetic diversity) and 47% (Bray–Curtis dissimilarity) of the age effect size. Well water drinkers exhibited distinct gut microbiota signatures, including higher fecal α diversity, higher Dorea, and lower Bacteroides, Odoribacter, and Streptococcus. Low water drinkers also showed differences in gut microbiota compared to high water drinkers, with a higher abundance of Campylobacter. No associations were found between oral microbiota composition and drinking water consumption.
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