In my previous post I briefly discussed the many different
ways in which gut flora contribute to our health and wellbeing. Today I will be
discussing how gut flora relate to a major health risk that effects countless individuals
across a wide array of demographics. With easy access to cheap and fattening foods,
little time to exercise, and in some cases, unfavourable genetics; many industrialized
and developing countries suffer from high obesity rates. However, despite
common belief, obesity is not simply related to diet and lifestyle choices.
Environmental factors, genetics, and systemic and adipose tissue inflammation
also contribute to weight gain (Kotzampassi, et al. 2014).
The 100 trillion cells of microbiota found in the human gut
play an important role in energy harvest and body weight. This concoction of
bacteria is extremely diverse amongst humans; although, Firmicutes and
Bacteroidetes (Actinobacteria) are dominant types. In fact, studies suggest
that a gut composition including more Firmicutes and less Bacteroidetes (and
overall less microbiota diversity) is linked to slower metabolic pathways and
increased fat storage (Kotzampassi, et al. 2014). Furthermore, Bifidobacterium
spp. of the phylum Actinobacteria, may have anti-inflammatory effects leading
to a leaner host. Nevertheless, the
bacteria falling under the phylum Firmicutes, Staphylococcus aureus, may lead
to inflammatory effects, increasing the risk of obesity. In summary, such
findings suggest that manipulation of gut bacteria could be a fundamental
practice in preventing the onset of obesity (Kotzampassi, et al. 2014).
Reference:
Katerina Kotzampassi, Evangelos J. Giamarellos-Bourboulis,
and George Stavrou, “Obesity as a Consequence of Gut Bacteria and Diet
Interactions,” ISRN Obesity, vol. 2014, Article ID 651895, 8 pages, 2014.
doi:10.1155/2014/651895
.
Very fascinating. Many people like to blame either the lifestyle or a person’s genes for obesity, so it is very interesting to note that the microbiome could also be responsible. Do any of the articles suggest ways of cultivating more bacteria in the gut to help facilitate weight loss in people suffering from obesity? Nice post.
ReplyDeleteAccording to a recent studies, animal-based diets give rise to bacteria that are known to induce inflammation in the gut. Thus, research suggests that plant-based diets may be a better option for both weight loss and gut health. Moreover, studies have also suggested that the bacteria found in the gut can drastically change after a short period of animal-based or plant-based diets. In fact, a Harvard University study discovered drastic changes in gut health after only a couple of days of a particular diet.
ReplyDeleteReference
David, L. A., Dutton, R. J., Carmody, R. N., Maurice, C. F., Turnbaugh, P. J., Biddinger, S. B., et al. (2013). Diet rapidly and reproducibly alters the human gut microbiome. Nature, 505(7484), 559-563.