Microalgae and the gut microbiome: Insights from animal models to human trials | Functional Foods in Health and Disease - Online ISSN: 2160-3855; Print ISSN: 2378-7007 Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer Open Menu Functional Foods in Health and Disease - Online ISSN: 2160-3855; Print ISSN: 2378-7007 Home Food Science Publisher Functional Food Center Current Archives About About the Journal Aims and Scope Contact Editing Services Editorial Team Express Peer Review Graphical Abstract Journal Insights Privacy Statement Submissions Announcements Search Search Register Login Home / Archives / Vol. 15 No. 12 (2025): December 2025 / Review Articles Microalgae and the gut microbiome: Insights from animal models to human trials Authors Samuel Paterson Tosin A. Olasehinde Pilar Gómez-Cortés Blanca Hernández-Ledesma DOI: https://doi.org/10.31989/ffhd.v15i12.1803 Abstract ABSTRACT: The gut microbiota is a vast consortium of microorganisms living in the gastrointestinal tract that plays essential roles in host metabolic, nutritional, and immune functions. However, this delicate ecosystem is susceptible to disruptions, or dysbiosis, which have been associated with conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease, obesity, and metabolic syndrome. The consumption of Western diets disrupts gut function; however, functional foods are essential for healthy microbiota. Microalgae, known for their ecological sustainability and rich nutritional profile, are increasingly considered promising sources of bioactive compounds, with growing evidence suggesting they may support the growth of beneficial gut microbes and help restore microbial balance. Microalgal-rich diets have shown promise by modulating fatty acid metabolism, inhibiting gut inflammation, and improving gut health. Despite previous investigations, the specific effects of microalgae on the gut microbiome remain underexplored, and the available data are dispersed. This review aims to unite and apprise the current scientific literature on the effects of microalgae-based dietary interventions on the gut microbiome by examining studies conducted in animal models, evidence from human-based approaches, including in vitro gut models and clinical trials, and identifying critical knowledge gaps in this research area. By highlighting the most relevant findings and outlining areas requiring further investigation, this review underscores the emerging potential of microalgae as microbiome-modulating agents and their promising role in next-generation functional foods for human health. Keywords: microalgae, gut microbiome, animal models, clinical trials, prebiotics Downloads [Abstract] [Full Article] Published 2025-12-05 Issue Vol. 15 No. 12 (2025): December 2025 Section Review Articles License Copyright (c) 2025 Samuel Paterson, Tosin A. Olasehinde, Pilar Gómez-Cortés, Blanca Hernández-Ledesma This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Authors retain the copyright of their articles and grant the Functional Food Center (FFC) and its journals the right of first publication under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. This license permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, including commercial use, provided the original author(s) and source are properly credited. Authors may post and share their published work freely, provided that the original publication in this journal is acknowledged. By submitting to this journal, authors confirm that their manuscripts are original, not under consideration elsewhere, and that they hold the necessary rights to grant this license. The Functional Food Center encourages open scientific exchange and allows derivative and extended works, provided attribution to the original publication is maintained. About the Journal      Editing Services      Graphical Abstract      Journal Insights        Submissions        Editorial Team       Privacy Statement        Contact        Current        Archives   Open Journal Systems Hosting and Support by: OpenJournalSystems.com