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Research on donkey milk · Study 27
Donkey milk, gut microbiome & immune system – what a 2025 study shows.
What happens in the organism when donkey milk is administered over several weeks? A recent study examined this question on three levels at once: immune parameters, gut microbiome and metabolites in the blood.
Important: The study was carried out in mice. Changes in the microbiome, metabolites or immune parameters in an animal model do not prove a corresponding health effect in humans.
The research question
How are donkey milk, gut bacteria, metabolism and immune parameters connected?
Modern nutrition research does not look at the gut in isolation. The gut microbiome, metabolites and immune responses can be part of interconnected biological systems.
This is exactly where the study came in. The researchers not only examined individual immune parameters but also analysed the composition of the faecal microbiota and the plasma metabolome.
This created a so-called multi-omics perspective: several biological levels were looked at in parallel to make possible connections visible.
Study design
28 days of donkey milk – then measurements were taken on several levels.
The mice received 10 ml of donkey milk per kilogram of body weight intragastrically every day. The comparison group received distilled water.
The researchers examined immunological measures to capture changes in the immune response in the animal model.
Faecal samples were analysed to examine differences in the relative composition of the bacterial communities.
In addition, metabolites in the plasma were examined to capture changes in metabolic profiles.
The intervention
10 ml/kg of donkey milk daily.
The animals in the donkey milk group received 10 ml of donkey milk per kilogram of body weight daily for 28 days. The control group received distilled water. This amount is part of the experimental animal model and cannot be transferred to humans as a consumption recommendation.
The results
Changes were reported on all three levels examined.
The study describes differences in immune parameters, gut microbiota and metabolic profiles between the donkey milk and control groups.
Lactobacillus
Among other things, the researchers reported higher relative abundances of certain bacterial genera such as Lactobacillus in the donkey milk group.
Limosilactobacillus
Differences in relative abundance between the groups were also described for Limosilactobacillus.
Metabolites
Plasma metabolomics showed changes in metabolic profiles after the 28-day intervention.
Immune parameters
Besides the microbiome and metabolites, changes in various immunological measures were also reported.
Several levels
The approach combines microbiome data, metabolic profiles and immune parameters instead of looking at a single biological marker.
Mouse model
The observed changes are preclinical findings. They do not prove a corresponding effect of donkey milk consumption in humans.
A look into the gut microbiome
Particularly notable: changes in certain Lactobacillus genera.
Analysis of the faecal microbiome showed differences between the donkey milk and control groups. Among other things, higher relative abundances of certain genera such as Lactobacillus and Limosilactobacillus were reported.
Such results are of interest to research because the gut microbiome interacts with numerous biological processes. However, a higher relative abundance of a particular bacterium does not automatically mean a health benefit.
Higher relative abundances of certain representatives were reported in the donkey milk group.
Also reported Limosilactobacillus
Here, too, differences were found between the groups examined. The clinical significance of these shifts in humans has not been proven.
Why multi-omics?
Gut, metabolism and immune system were looked at together.
The particular strength of the research approach lies in relating several biological levels to one another.
Which microbial communities can be detected in the gut?
Which metabolites change in parallel in the plasma?
Which immunological measures differ between the groups?
Donkey milk as a food
Understand the research. Discover donkey milk for yourself.
The study shows the complex biological relationships scientists are investigating around donkey milk. DON DONKEY’S® donkey milk was not part of this study. We therefore do not transfer the results to our product.
Scientific context
What the study shows – and what it does not.
What was observed
- Mice received donkey milk or distilled water daily for 28 days.
- The amount of donkey milk in the experimental model was 10 ml/kg body weight per day.
- Immune parameters were examined.
- The faecal gut microbiota was analysed.
- The plasma metabolome was examined.
- Differences in Lactobacillus and Limosilactobacillus were reported.
- Changes in metabolic profiles were observed.
What was not proven
- The study does not prove a corresponding immune effect in humans.
- It does not show that donkey milk prevents, treats or cures diseases.
- A change in the microbiome is not automatically beneficial to health.
- The amount used in the mouse model is not a consumption recommendation for humans.
- No therapeutic dose can be derived from the study.
- DON DONKEY’S® products were not examined in the study.
DON DONKEY’S®
DON DONKEY’S® donkey milk
100 % pure donkey milk
Donkey milk is studied today in a wide range of research fields – from the microbiome and metabolic processes to immune parameters. Here you can discover DON DONKEY’S® donkey milk as a food.
- 100 % pure donkey milk
- Available as a food
- Various sizes on the product page
- Directly from DON DONKEY’S®
- Not a medicinal product
The scientific study presented was not carried out with DON DONKEY’S® products. The results come from a mouse model and do not constitute proof that this food prevents, treats or cures diseases.
Original publication
The study behind this page
Meng J, Yao X, et al.
Impact of intragastric administration of donkey milk on mouse immunity utilizing gut microbiomics and plasma metabolomics.
Frontiers in Veterinary Science. 2025.
DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2025.1486406 ↗
This research page summarises the study in plain language. The study was carried out in mice. Microbiome, metabolic and immune changes in the animal model must not be understood as clinical proof of efficacy in humans.