Hops for Gut Health? How Xanthohumol Might Help

study PMID: 38358253

Quick Summary: Research suggests a compound in hops, called xanthohumol, can boost gut health by changing the types of bacteria in your gut. However, it seems to work best for people with a specific type of gut bacteria.

What The Research Found

Scientists found that taking xanthohumol, a compound found in hops, changed the balance of bacteria in the gut. Specifically, it increased the amount of "good" bacteria called Bifidobacterium in some people. This also led to more of certain beneficial substances, like acetate and butyrate, in the gut. However, these changes only happened in people with a specific type of gut bacteria to begin with.

Study Details

Who was studied: 60 healthy adults. The study divided them into two groups based on their existing gut bacteria.

How long: The study lasted for 4 weeks.

What they took: Participants took either 300mg of xanthohumol daily (in capsule form) or a placebo (a dummy pill).

What This Means For You

If you're looking to improve your gut health, this research suggests that xanthohumol from hops might be helpful. However, it's not a one-size-fits-all solution. The study indicates that it may be most effective if you already have a certain type of gut bacteria. You might consider getting your gut bacteria tested to see if xanthohumol could be beneficial for you.

Study Limitations

It's important to remember that this study was relatively small and short. Also, the researchers didn't control what the participants ate. More research is needed to confirm these findings and see if xanthohumol has other benefits.

Key Findings

Xanthohumol (XN) supplementation induced significant, enterotype-dependent changes in gut microbiota composition and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production. In participants with Bacteroides-dominant gut microbiota (enterotype 1), XN increased beneficial Bifidobacterium abundance and elevated fecal acetate and butyrate levels. No significant microbial or metabolic changes occurred in participants with Prevotella-dominant microbiota (enterotype 2) or the placebo group. The study concludes that baseline gut microbiome configuration critically determines responsiveness to XN.

Study Design

This was a 4-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 60 healthy adults (mean age 35.2 ± 8.7 years; 52% female). Participants were stratified by baseline gut enterotype (enterotype 1: Bacteroides-dominant, n=30; enterotype 2: Prevotella-dominant, n=30) and randomized to XN or placebo within each stratum (n=15 per subgroup). Fecal samples for 16S rRNA sequencing and SCFA quantification were collected at baseline and post-intervention.

Dosage & Administration

Participants received 300 mg/day of purified xanthohumol (90% purity) in capsule form, or an identical placebo (maltodextrin). Capsules were taken once daily with breakfast. Compliance was confirmed by capsule count (>95% adherence in both groups).

Results & Efficacy

In enterotype 1, XN significantly increased Bifidobacterium abundance by 1.8-fold compared to placebo (ΔXN vs Δplacebo: +0.32 log10 copies/g, p=0.01). Fecal acetate rose by 22% (p=0.03) and butyrate by 15% (p=0.04) in XN-treated enterotype 1 participants versus placebo. Alpha diversity (Shannon index) increased significantly in XN-treated enterotype 1 (Δ+0.18, p=0.02). No statistically significant changes occurred in enterotype 2 participants for any primary outcome (all p>0.05). Effect sizes for SCFA changes in enterotype 1 were moderate (Cohen's d=0.65–0.78).

Limitations

The study had limited subgroup sample sizes (n=15 per enterotype/treatment), reducing power to detect smaller effects. The 4-week duration may be insufficient to observe long-term microbial adaptation or clinical outcomes. Dietary intake was not strictly controlled, potentially confounding microbiome results. The exclusive focus on healthy adults limits generalizability to clinical populations. Future research should validate findings in larger cohorts, extend intervention duration, and correlate microbial changes with host health markers.

Clinical Relevance

This study indicates that hops-derived xanthohumol may selectively benefit individuals with Bacteroides-dominant gut microbiomes by enhancing beneficial bacteria and SCFA production. Supplement users should recognize that efficacy depends on baseline microbiome configuration—personalized approaches using enterotype testing could optimize outcomes. Current evidence does not support universal XN supplementation for gut health, as non-responders (enterotype 2) showed no benefits at the 300 mg/day dose. Further research is needed to determine if higher doses benefit other enterotypes.