How Leaky Gut Bacteria Lead to Obesity: A New Study
Scientists at Nottingham Trent University have made an important discovery about how bacteria in our gut can influence obesity.
They found that small pieces of bacteria, called endotoxins, can leak from the gut into the bloodstream and directly affect fat cells.
This leakage is more common in obesity and can affect the normal functioning of fat cells.
Why it matters
Healthy fat cells are essential to our overall health. When they become damaged or inoperable, they can lead to diseases such as type 2 diabetes.
The researchers believe their study is an important step in understanding how fat cells work, how they may contribute to weight gain, and how they relate to other diseases.
The details
This study was a collaboration between researchers from Nottingham Trent University and the University of Warwick. The results were published in the journal BMC Medicine.
In the experiments, the scientists found that endotoxins caused significant damage to the fat cells.
These toxins prevented the cells from turning into brown fat cells, which are metabolically active and can aid in weight loss.
It has been found that obese individuals’ white fat cells are less likely to turn into these brown cells, most likely due to the higher levels of endotoxin in their blood.
The Effects of Weight Loss
The research team also looked at how losing weight might help reverse these effects.
They found that weight-loss surgery, such as bariatric surgery, could reduce the amount of endotoxin in the blood. This led to an improvement in the metabolic health of the fat cells.
The big picture
Professor Mark Christian, the study’s lead researcher, explained that these bacterial fragments interfere with the normal functioning of fat cells and contribute to the risk of diabetes.
He pointed out that as people gain weight, their fat cells become less able to limit the damage caused by these endotoxins.
Researchers emphasized the importance of gut and fat as important, interconnected organs that affect our metabolic health.
The study builds on previous work showing how endotoxins from the gut can damage our fat cells when we gain weight.
It underscores the importance of reducing endotoxin-induced damage to fat cells, particularly in obese individuals.
dr Alice Murphy, a postdoctoral researcher, emphasized that weight loss can reverse the damage caused by these endotoxins, resulting in significant health benefits.
dr Farah Omran, another researcher on the team, pointed out that having brown fat cells inhibited by endotoxins is linked to a healthy metabolism.
These cells are highly active and beneficial to our health, while white fat cells, which are more common in obesity, are less active.
This discovery contributes to our understanding of obesity and its management, and opens new avenues for future research and treatment strategies.
If you care about gut health, please read studies on one of the main causes of leaky gut, fatty liver disease, etc Eating nuts may help reduce the risk of intestinal damage and cancer.
For more health information, check out recent studies on what postbiotics are and how they can improve our gut health. The results show that common dietary fiber can trigger inflammation in the gut and lungs.
The study was published In BMC medicine.
Copyright © 2023 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
