The global rise in obesity has researchers looking at the gut microbiota for answers.
The microbes in your gut don’t just help digest food; they also influence metabolism, appetite regulation, and fat storage (Krajmalnik‐Brown et al., 2012).
Researchers found that obese individuals had a less diverse microbiome and a higher abundance of Firmicutes relative to Bacteroidetes, a ratio linked to greater energy harvest from food (Murphy et al., 2010).
Interestingly, fecal microbiota transplants (FMTs) have been explored as a potential treatment for obesity (Mocanu et al., 2021).
In animal studies, transferring gut bacteria from lean donors to obese recipients led to improved insulin sensitivity and weight loss (Vrieze et al., 2012).
The role of diet is equally crucial.
Fiber-rich foods promote the growth of beneficial bacteria that produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which play a role in reducing inflammation and improving metabolic health (Nogal et al., 2021).
NIUM is at the forefront of microbiome research, working on innovative solutions to address metabolic diseases.
Find more about our research on our website.
References:
Krajmalnik‐Brown, R., Ilhan, Z. E., Kang, D. W., & DiBaise, J. K. (2012). Effects of gut microbes on nutrient absorption and energy regulation. Nutrition in clinical practice, 27(2), 201-214.
Mocanu, V., Zhang, Z., Deehan, E. C., Kao, D. H., Hotte, N., Karmali, S., … & Madsen, K. L. (2021). Fecal microbial transplantation and fiber supplementation in patients with severe obesity and metabolic syndrome: a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 2 trial. Nature Medicine, 27(7), 1272-1279.
Murphy, E. F., Cotter, P. D., Healy, S., Marques, T. M., O’sullivan, O., Fouhy, F., … & Shanahan, F. (2010). Composition and energy harvesting capacity of the gut microbiota: relationship to diet, obesity and time in mouse models. Gut, 59(12), 1635-1642.
Nogal, A., Valdes, A. M., & Menni, C. (2021). The role of short-chain fatty acids in the interplay between gut microbiota and diet in cardio-metabolic health. Gut microbes, 13(1), 1897212.
Vrieze, A., Van Nood, E., Holleman, F., Salojärvi, J., Kootte, R. S., Bartelsman, J. F., … & Nieuwdorp, M. (2012). Transfer of intestinal microbiota from lean donors increases insulin sensitivity in individuals with metabolic syndrome. Gastroenterology, 143(4), 913-916.