The human body has trillions of microorganisms such as bacteria with the majority found in the intestines. Some of the critical roles that gut bacteria play in individual health include producing certain vitamins and communicating with a human being’s immune system. The gut bacteria also impact how the body produces chemicals and digests different foods. The gut microbiota’s intricate relationship with body weight shapes and introduces a paradigm that goes beyond traditional weight management perspectives and opens innovative therapeutic intervention avenues. The interplay that is present between an individual’s body weight and gut microbiota represents a compelling testament to microbiol communities’ significant effect on health, as scientific evidence demonstrates their integral role in the regulation of energy, absorption of nutrients, and metabolism, with the bacteria playing an integral role in body weight control.
A human being’s body and skin are home to trillions of microorganisms and bacteria. According to the body, it most likely has more bacteria cells than human cells. Research shows that a man weighing approximately 70 kilograms or 154 pounds has 30 trillion human cells compared to 40 trillion bacteria cells (Diwan & Harke, 2021). The intestine is home to hundreds of different bacteria types. Some may cause a human being to suffer from diseases but most perform critical tasks to keep him healthy. According to Gupta (2021), gut bacteria are useful bacteria that produce specific vitamins like Vitamin C. They also communicate with an individual’s immune system helping fight off infections. The gut microbial influences how a human being produces chemicals and digests certain foods (Diwan & Harke, 2021). Therefore, they may impact an individual’s weight by performing critical tasks that may keep one healthy.
The gut bacteria impact food digestion as their contact with the food affects how an individual stores energy, and what nutrients he absorbs. A study performed on twins, one suffering from obesity, and the other without showed that the two had different gut bacteria. (Abenavoli et al. 2019) The study results showed a relationship between lower gut bacteria diversity and obesity, meaning that fewer bacteria types were present in the gut. Another study showed that transferring the gut bacteria from an individual suffering from obesity to a mouse will result in the small rodent gaining weight (Stanislawski et al., 2019). The studies show that gut bacteria can impact an individual’s weight because of the bacteria’s effect on different foods. For instance, specific gut bacteria can digest fiber despite individuals being unable to perform the process. The fiber digestion results in the gut bacteria producing chemicals that promote weight loss, and benefit gut health (Stanislawski et al., 2019). For instance, several studies have demonstrated that a positive relationship is present between lower weight and having high fiber intake largely because of the gut bacteria’s role in digesting fiber. Therefore, the gut microbial will influence the overall well-being of an individual by modulating mental health, immune function, and metabolism. Gut microorganism changes have also been associated with diabetes and obesity. The above studies show that understanding gut bacteria and its role in the human body can help manage weight and reduce obesity rates.
Certain gut bacteria types in a body system may make it challenging for a person to lose weight. A recent study concluded that the ratio of two bacteria types may determine the weight an individual loses when placed on a particular diet. The first bacteria, Prevotella, digests carbohydrates and fiber. Individuals who consume more fats and animal protein possess more of the second bacteria, Bacteroidetes. In the study, a high-fiber diet was availed to 62 individuals for 26 weeks. Individuals whose intestines contained more Prevotella lost 2.3 kilograms or approximately 5.1 pounds more body fats during the period under review than those whose intestines had more Bacteroidetes. A human being’s gut bacteria can also digest flavonoids, plants’ antioxidants. The antioxidants may prevent an individual from gaining weight. The gut bacteria can also influence the absorption of dietary fats in the intestines, a process that may affect fat storage in the body. Therefore, the influence that gut bacteria have on different food digestion may affect a person’s weight.
Certain gut bacteria types have proven critical to preventing inflammation and healthy gut barrier maintenance, which can result in weight gain. According to (Choi, & Yang-Jensen) (2023), inflammation happens when the immune system has been activated aiming to fight infection. An unhealthy diet can also cause inflammation. For instance, when an individual consumes a diet with excess calories, sugar, or fat, the fat tissue and bloodstream may be affected by elevated inflammatory chemicals, resulting in weight gain. A human being’s gut role in inflammation cannot be ignored. When some chemicals, like lipopolysaccharides, pass into an individual’s blood, they cause inflammation (Breton et al., 2022). A mouse that is given lipopolysaccharides to consume has similar blood insulin and blood sugar and is the same weight as a mouse that consumes a high-fat diet. Thus, certain lipopolysaccharide-producing gut bacteria may result in insulin resistance and weight gain.
The gut bacteria’s role in the production of chemicals that affect an individual’s appetite demonstrates their impact on weight. Such chemicals will help a person feel full or hungry. Different hormone production affects an individual’s appetite, with several studies concluding that different gut bacteria affect the level of production and whether a person will feel hungry (Breton et al., 2022). After some gut bacteria species break down fiber, they produce chemicals known as short-chain fatty acids. A study examining 60 overweight adults concluded that a 24-week consumption of propionate resulted in a significant increase in GLLP-1 and PYY hormones, which in turn influenced hunger (Breton et al., 2022). Individuals who consumed propionate had reduced weight gain and consumed lower food levels. Other studies have also found that the use of prebiotic supplements can affect appetite (Choi & Yang-Jensen, 2023). The gut bacteria ferments compounds found in prebiotic supplements. This shows that some gut bacteria-produced chemicals can make an individual feel full, an action that affects his appetite and, thus, impacts his weight.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, gut microbes play an integral role in body weight control because they affect food digestion, fat storage, and whether a person feels full or hungry. The study also concludes that healthy gut bacteria are important because they are critical to maintaining and having a healthy weight. Therefore, the differences in the functional profile of gut microbes have a significant and positive correlation with the response of a body to weight loss. High-fiber foods consumption or intake including seeds, nuts, vegetables, fruits, and grains is encouraged because they promote and ensure healthy gut bacteria. Gaining an in-depth understanding of gut bacteria’s role can help open innovative therapeutic intervention avenues, help weight management initiatives, and help the population address challenges such as obesity.
References
Abenavoli, L., Scarpellini, E., Colica, C., Boccuto, L., Salehi, B., Sharifi-Rad, J., … & Capasso, R. (2019). Gut microbiota and obesity: a role for probiotics. Nutrients, 11(11), 2690.
Breton, J., Galmiche, M., & Dechelotte, P. (2022). Dysbiotic gut bacteria in obesity: an overview of the metabolic mechanisms and therapeutic perspectives of next-generation probiotics. Microorganisms, 10(2), 452.
Choi, B. S. Y., & Yang-Jensen, S. K. (2023). Obesity is transferable through the gut microbiota. Nature Reviews Endocrinology, pp. 1–1.
Diwan, A. D., & Harke, S. N. (2021). Bank on Microbiome to Keep the Body Healthy. Journal of Nutrition & Food Sciences, 2(2), 1–5.
Gupta, P. D. (2021). The Mighty Microbiota: Regulator of the Human Body. Clinical Research and Clinical Trials, 3(5).
Stanislawski, M. A., Dabelea, D., Lange, L. A., Wagner, B. D., & Lozupone, C. A. (2019). Gut microbiota phenotypes of obesity. NPJ biofilms and microbiomes, 5(1), 18.
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