Effect of Diet before Bariatric Surgery on Ghrelin Level through DNA Methylation

Abstract

Introduction: The ghrelin system, which generates the appetite hormone, is harmed by obesity, a problem of worldwide public health. An efficient way to cure obesity is through bariatric surgery. This randomized controlled study's objective was to assess preoperative diet-related DNA methylation of Ghrelin (GHRL) levels in patients undergoing bariatric surgery. Methods: The 50 patients who volunteered to participate in the trial were randomly divided into two groups. The study group followed the very low-calorie diet (VLCD) for two weeks. The control group did not follow any diet. The physiological parameters, weight, and DNA methylation levels of the patients were assessed. Results: The percentage of excess weight loss (EWL) in the control and study groups was determined as 47.1% and 51.5%, respectively. The study group's GHRL percentage of methylated reference (PMR) was 76.8%, whereas the control group's was 67.3%. It was concluded that the EWL and GHRL gene DNA methylation of the diet-treated study group were significantly higher than the control group (p<0.05). Conclusion: According to the findings, the pre-op diet had a favorable effect on the patient's behavior modification. It has also been shown to increase post-operative weight loss and DNA methylation of the Ghrelin gene. The ghrelin gene has been muted by methylation, making hunger regulation more manageable.