Applications and mechanisms of microencapsulated probiotics in metabolic and infectious diseases via gut microbiota modulation

ABSTRACT Microencapsulation is a key technology that entraps probiotics in protective matrices, effectively addressing the challenges of poor probiotic viability during processing, storage, and gastrointestinal transit. Encapsulating materials, including carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids, as well as techniques such as spray drying, freeze drying, complex coacervation, and microbial self-encapsulation, directly influence the protective effect and delivery efficiency of probiotics based on their structural and functional characteristics. This review highlights the applications of microencapsulated probiotics in metabolic and infectious diseases. Metabolic diseases like obesity and diabetes have reached epidemic proportions globally, and infectious diseases, including gastrointestinal and vaginal infections, significantly threated public health. The therapeutic effects of microencapsulated probiotics are primarily reflected in their ability to enhance probiotic survival and targeted release, regulate gut microbiota balance and metabolite production, improve intestinal barrier function, inhibit pathogenic colonization, and modulate immune responses. This review explores the selection strategies of different encapsulation materials in specific disease models and their impact on therapeutic efficacy, and also describes the mechanisms by which microencapsulated probiotics exert therapeutic effects against these diseases. Emerging evidence indicates that further optimizing the encapsulation materials and techniques can significantly enhance probiotic efficacy and provide potential strategies for preventing and treating metabolic and infectious diseases.