Study Background and Disease Burden
The human gut microbiome plays a crucial role in health through its capacity to metabolize dietary components, influence immune responses, and synthesize important metabolites. Alterations in the gut microbiome composition and function have been implicated in diverse diseases ranging from gastrointestinal disorders to metabolic syndrome. While preclinical models have suggested that vitamins and minerals influence the gut microbial community structure and activity, evidence from well-controlled human trials remains limited. Most existing human studies employ micronutrient supplementation at supraphysiological doses, which may not reflect everyday nutritional practices. Understanding how routine multivitamin/multimineral (MVMM) supplementation impacts the gut microbiome in healthy adults could provide insights into nutritional modulation of host-microbe interactions and potential implications for health maintenance and disease prevention.