Without diet bacteria regulate body weight

Bacteria in the intestine regulate body weight

04/30/2012

Bacteria apparently have a significantly greater impact on body weight than previously thought. With the right bacteria in the digestive tract, diets may become redundant in the future, French scientists said „Experimental Biology“-Congress in San Diego.

In experiments with mice, the researchers led by Frank Duca, Yassine Sakar and Mihai Covasa of the French Institute of Agricultural Science (INRA) discovered an unexpected influence of the bacterial community in the stomach and intestine on the metabolism and body weight. Here, the scientists also see a possible explanation that some people can eat outright without gaining weight, while others become fat very quickly.

Intestinal flora with direct influence on the risk of overweight
The bacterial community in the digestive tract, often summarized under the term intestinal flora, has a significant influence on the metabolism and development of body weight, according to the scientists of the French Institute of Agricultural Science. It has long been known that our intestines are colonized by innumerable bacteria that have a significant impact on the immune system, digestion and the supply of important substances such as vitamin B-12. The mixture of intestinal bacteria we are endowed with It also has a direct impact on the risk of overweight and obesity, the French scientists reported at the congress „Experimental Biology“. A summary of the presentation was published in the Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) „Intestinal flora regulates the metabolism“ released.

Transfer different profiles of intestinal bacteria
Only recently scientists from the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Heidelberg found out that the human intestinal flora worldwide can be divided into three different types depending on the presence of certain bacteria. Now the French researchers could prove here a further subdivision. Obese people apparently tend to develop other microbial profiles in their intestines than Lean. In their experiments, the scientists at INRA also examined whether the bacterial profile and thus the risk of obesity can be transferred. In their study, the researchers had transferred the intestinal bacteria of overweight and obesity-resistant rats into the intestinal tract of germ-free mice. One group of animals was then given regular feed and the other was given unlimited fat-rich food. The researchers then monitored food intake and body weight development over a period of eight weeks. In addition, gut samples were taken to examine certain physiological markers of metabolism that play a role in maintaining energy balance, the researchers said.

Weight gain depends on the intestinal flora
The study found that the mice carrying the intestinal flora of overweight rats consumed more high-fat foods and gained about 40 percent weight after eight weeks in the group that received unlimited food. In the animals that were fed at regular intervals, the weight gain was about 20 percent. However, obesity-resistant rat intestinal bacteria mice had only gained about 10 percent, regardless of whether they were fed regularly or were able to eat unlimited high-fat foods. The mice with the intestinal flora of overweight rats also resembled in their metabolic pathways the profile of the donor rats. For example, they produced a similar enzyme combination for fat processing in the liver, so the statement of the French scientists.

Influence of intestinal flora profiles as a diet replacement?
The authors conclude that certain intestinal microflora profiles promote excessive weight gain when individuals are free to eat inordinately. By the effects on the metabolism and in particular the reduced release of special intestinal peptides responsible for satiety In addition, the animals are prone to behavioral changes and increased food intake with the intestinal flora of overweight rats. The same is true for humans, explained Duca, Sakar and Covasa. However, in the future, the researchers hope to be able to specifically influence the intestinal flora profiles and thus to ensure a healthy body weight. According to this, it might be possible to build up a special profile of the intestinal flora by transferring certain bacterial communities. At least the current study clearly shows „the ability of a special intestinal bacterial community to influence the metabolism of the host“, so the statement of the experts. Should it be possible to specifically model these bacterial communities, expensive diets could soon be a thing of the past, explained the French researchers. (Fp)

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Picture: Gerd Altmann