A model is not a meal
In an ex-vivo model using microbiota from six older male donors, yeast, whey and soy produced different profiles. Yeast increased several butyrate-associated groups and produced relatively low gas. This was not a feeding trial: people did not consume the proteins or report symptoms.
Real-world tolerance may also depend on lactose, legume oligosaccharides, added fibers, sweeteners, gums, serving size, individual microbiomes and processing.
What we know
✓ Proteins behave differently in experimental gut models.
✓ One ex-vivo comparison measured relatively low gas for yeast protein.
What we don’t know yet
? Whether most people feel less bloated.
? How dose, formulation and individual microbiomes alter symptoms.
Yeast protein modulates metabolites derived from the human gut microbiota of older male adults ex vivo
Proteins produced different microbial and metabolite profiles. Yeast increased several butyrate-associated taxa, showed favorable barrier measures and relatively low gas in the model.
- Model
- Microbiota from six men aged 50–65 in an experimental gut system
- Sample
- 6 donors
- Intervention
- Yeast protein applied to the model · Ex-vivo protocol
- Comparator
- Whey and soy protein
Van den Abbeele P, Vu LD, Poppe J, van Hengel IAJ, Baudot A, Zhang Y, Chen Z, Yan J · 2026 · Frontiers in Microbiology 16:1697734
DOI 10.3389/fmicb.2025.1697734 ↗View references (1)
- Van den Abbeele P, Vu LD, Poppe J, van Hengel IAJ, Baudot A, Zhang Y, Chen Z, Yan J. (2026). Yeast protein modulates metabolites derived from the human gut microbiota of older male adults ex vivo. Frontiers in Microbiology 16:1697734. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1697734