My 700^th curation is a 2021 rodent study that investigated time-restricted prebiotic intake combined with an unrestricted bad diet:

“Restricted prebiotic feeding during active phase induced weight-independent alleviation of liver steatosis and reduced serum cholesterol in high-fat diet (HFD) fed mice more significantly than unrestricted feeding.

The prebiotic was a mixture of resistant starch [86%], fructo-oligosaccharide [5%], inulin [7.5%], and xylooligosaccharide [1.5%]. It was administered via drinking water at 10% (w/v) for 11 weeks followed by 20% (w/v) for 4 weeks.

Data suggests that improvement in HFD-induced hepatic steatosis by prebiotics could be associated with increased production of SCFAs [short-chain fatty acids]. Findings suggest that SCFA production can also be modified by timed feeding of prebiotics. This implies that distinct alterations in gut microbiota introduced by a difference in prebiotic feeding regime might be an outcome of gut microbiota undergoing diurnal oscillation.

These results suggest that the impact of prebiotics on weight-independent alleviation of liver steatosis and cholesterol-lowering effect can be optimized by restricting prebiotic intake to active phase, and is associated with a distinct change of gut microbiota with increased SCFA production.”

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7806547/ “Active phase prebiotic feeding alters gut microbiota, induces weight-independent alleviation of hepatic steatosis and serum cholesterol in high-fat diet-fed mice”

This study provided further evidence for Rhythmicity in that:

“Active phase restricted feeding of prebiotics showed more significant effects on modulating gut microbiota, SCFA production, and metabolic response, independent of weight loss. Alterations in gut microbiota introduced by a difference in prebiotic feeding regime might be an outcome of gut microbiota undergoing diurnal oscillation.”

Subjects’ human-equivalent ages were ~15 years to start and ~30 years at the end. As findings may be applicable to humans, this study was similar to Eat oats to prevent diabetes in that it passed on the issue of causes for detrimental effects continuing.

Eat whatever and whenever you want even though you know it will adversely affect your health? Sure, just add this prebiotic, or even better, time-restrict the prebiotic, and everything’s going to be alright?