Gut bacteria and obesity

One line of scientific inquiry is why some individuals are particularly prone to becoming obese when factors like lowering calorie consumption and increasing activity levels are taken into account? One line of inquiry is the intestinal microbiota, which may play a far greater role in human health than previously imagined. It is speculated that the mix of intestinal bacteria in different individuals might directly influence the risk for obesity. Obese individuals tend to have different microbial profiles in their intestines than lean individuals, and scientists have learned that the bacteria common to obesity may metabolize the food we eat in a way that allows us to harvest more calories from it and deposit those calories as fat. he authors' conclusions are three-fold. First, they theorize that obese individuals, when given the opportunity to overeat, may harbor specific gut microbiota profiles that promote excess weight gain. Second, they propose that differences in gut microbes can be related to behavioral changes and increased food intake. Finally, they believe that the mix of microbiota you have may influence your ability to properly sense and respond to a meal. They hope to eventually find ways to manipulate the intestinal microbiota profiles of especially at-risk individuals so that they can more easily maintain a healthy body weight. More of this story is outlined on Pharma Micro.