Progress at understanding microbes potential influence on obesity

JeromeBarry1

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/04/180411131639.htm

Date:
April 11, 2018
Source:
University of Chicago Medical Center
Summary:
A new study -- one of a few to concentrate on microbes in the upper gastrointestinal tract -- shows how the typical calorie-dense western diet can induce expansion of microbes that promote the digestion and absorption of high-fat foods. Over time, the steady presence of these microbes can lead to over-nutrition and obesity.

MikePfirrman

Interesting and the very reason why when people say "I'm going to do keto long-term and I know it's healthy" they don't actually yet have a clue. We are just starting to understand the impact of various diets on our microbiome and how that impacts our long-term health. What this study seems to indicate is that a high fat diet reduces Bifidobacterium, which tend to be (and I'm cautious to use that term, because again, no one fully understands the impact of diet yet on our microbiome) beneficial or are believed to be generally beneficial.

CSARdiver

Interesting article. Here is the source article:

http://www.cell.com/cell-host-microbe/fulltext/S1931-3128(18)30140-9?_returnURL=https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S1931312818301409?showall=true

This is a mouse study. I would be interested to see a similar study in swine, especially with a comparative gnotobiotic study. In all microbiological studies I'm quick to remind everyone that nearly all we know about the body of environmental microbiology is conducted through isolation, where this is not representative of how bacteria exists in nature. Also quick to remind that less than 1% of the known bacteria population has been isolated and identified. Gut bacteria is in constant flux battling for space with competing strains largely based on available nutrients.

I'm afraid that all these studies are interesting, but of little value - providing a snapshot of what is going on, but not telling the whole story.