Gut Microbiota and Obesity: A Role for Probiotics

Abstract

Nowadays, obesity is one of the most prevalent human health problems. Research from the last 30 years has clarified the role of the imbalance between energy intake and expenditure, unhealthy lifestyle, and genetic variability in the development of obesity. More recently, the composition and metabolic functions of gut microbiota have been proposed as being able to affect obesity development. Here, we will report the current knowledge on the definition, composition, and functions of intestinal microbiota. We have performed an extensive review of the literature, searching for the following keywords: metabolism, gut microbiota, dysbiosis, obesity. There is evidence for the association between gut bacteria and obesity both in infancy and in adults. There are several genetic, metabolic, and inflammatory pathophysiological mechanisms involved in the interplay between gut microbes and obesity. Microbial changes in the human gut can be considered a factor involved in obesity development in humans. The modulation of the bacterial strains in the digestive tract can help to reshape the metabolic profile in the human obese host as suggested by several data from animal and human studies. Thus, a deep revision of the evidence pertaining to the use probiotics, prebiotics, and antibiotics in obese patients is conceivable

A brief overview on the use of probiotics to treat overweight and obese patients

“…Also, probiotics such as L. rhamnosus CGMCC1.3724 is beneficial in the prevention of obesity-related problems and showed an anti-obesogenic property [17]. Whereas some other studies reported the same result while using placebos [17], or deleterious consequences from the use of other strains [5].…”

“…In obesity as a metabolic-associated disease, the balance of gut microbiota and baseline ratios of normal flora disturbs, to illustrate, in over-weight patients, the baseline ratio of two dominant bacterial divisions (Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes) becomes greater [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13]. Firmicutes consist of more than 274 genera such as Bacillus, Lactobacillus, Mycoplasma, and Clostridium and also there are about 20 genera of Bacteroidetes including Bacteroids.…”

“…In addition, SCFAs are produced through fermentation of starch, unabsorbed sugars, cellulosic and non-cellulosic polysaccharides, and mucins that controls directly the lipid metabolism and energy harvesting. Also, apoptosis of adipocytes and a decrease in fat accumulation occurs through inhibition of insulin signaling pathways by SCFAs [4,5].…”

“…Animal studies stressed that the transfer of normal maternal flora to the fetus occurs in both the prenatal and postnatal periods, which is associated with the metabolic syndrome, fat deposition, and obesity [10,11]. Accumulated bacteria in the maternal lymph nodes are transferred through the placenta to the fetus, and also the vaginal flora are transmitted to the fetus during delivery [5,8]. Besides, the bacteria are also transmitted through lactation.…”

“…Besides, the bacteria are also transmitted through lactation. These bacteria can be normal flora or probiotics consumed [5].…”