Gut microbiota-modulating potential of sweet potato-derived dietary fiber for type 2 diabetes management

BACKGROUND Diabetes mellitus presents a significant global health burden, highlighting the need for safe and cost-effective dietary interventions. Soluble dietary fiber (SDF) derived from sweet potato, rich in bioactive compounds, holds promise for improving glucose metabolism and gut microbiota, yet its effects on type 2 diabetes (T2D) remain underexplored. RESULTS The present study investigated the impact of different doses of sweet potato-derived SDF-high (SDF-H, 1000 mg kg −1 body weight), SDF-medium (SDF-M, 600 mg kg −1 body weight) and SDF-low (SDF-L, 200 mg kg −1 body weight) on T2D mice over 10 weeks. The results demonstrated that SDF supplementation significantly improved body weight, reduced excessive water intake and lowered postprandial blood glucose. Notably, high- and medium-dose SDF improved glucose tolerance, reducing postprandial blood glucose by 23.76% and 17.10%, respectively, and mitigated diabetes-induced damage to the liver, kidneys and pancreas. SDF also modulated lipid metabolism, decreasing serum total cholesterol and triglycerides at the same time as increasing high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Importantly, SDF, particularly at high doses, enhanced gut microbiota diversity and abundance, suppressing harmful bacteria and promoting beneficial genera such as Alloprevotella and Lactobacillus , at the same time as decreasing the abundance of Helicobacter . These findings suggest that sweet potato-derived SDF exerts multi-targeted benefits in T2D through metabolic regulation and gut microbiota modulation. CONCLUSION Sweet potato-derived SDF is a promising natural agent for improving glycemic control, lipid profiles, and gut microbial balance in T2D, suggesting its potential as a dietary intervention for diabetes management, pending further validation in human studies. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.