SALT LAKE CITY, UT – US researchers have found a gut bacterium that may help people lose weight and enhance their metabolic health. This discovery comes amid the rise of several weight-loss injections and medications that have already proved their ability to help individuals manage their weight.
In studies on mice, a team from the University of Utah found that a specific type of gut bacteria, called Turicibacter, can improve metabolic health and reduce weight gain. People with obesity tend to have less Turicibacter, suggesting that the microbe may promote healthy weight in humans as well. The results, published in the journal ‘Cell Metabolism’, could lead to new ways to control weight by adjusting gut bacteria.
Turicibacter, a rod-shaped bacterium, was found to single-handedly reduce blood sugar, levels of fat in the blood, and weight gain for mice on a high-fat diet. While its effects are significant, researchers note they are unlikely to be unique, as many different gut bacteria probably contribute to metabolic health. They also cautioned that results based on animal models may not always apply to people.
The researchers found that Turicibacter appears to improve metabolic health by affecting how the host produces a fatty molecule called ceramides. Ceramide levels typically increase on a high-fat diet, and high levels are associated with many metabolic disorders, including type 2 diabetes and heart disease. However, the fats produced by Turicibacter can keep ceramide levels low, even for mice on a high-fat diet.
“With further investigation of individual microbes, we will be able to make microbes into medicine and find bacteria that are safe to create a consortium of different bugs that people with different diseases might be lacking,” said first author Kendra Klag from the university. (IANS)