Gut microbiota and probiotics: Focus on diabetes mellitus

Abstract

The characterization of gut microbiota has become an important area of research in several clinical conditions, including type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Changes in the composition and/or metabolic activity of the gut microbiota can contribute to human health. Thus, this review discusses the effects of probiotics and gut microbiota on metabolic control in these individuals. Relevant studies were obtained from electronic databases such as PubMed/Medline and ISI Web of Science. The main probiotics used in these studies belonged to the genera Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. The authors found seven randomized placebo-controlled clinical trials and 13 experimental studies directly related to the effect of probiotics on metabolic control in the context of T2DM. The hypothesis that gut microbiota plays a role in the development of diabetes indicates an important beginning, and the potential of probiotics to prevent and reduce the severity of T2DM is better observed in animal studies. In clinical trials, the use of probiotics in glycemic control presented conflicting results, and only few studies have attempted to evaluate factors that justify metabolic changes, such as markers of oxidative stress, inflammation, and incretins. Thus, further research is needed to assess the effects of probiotics in the metabolism of diabetic individuals, as well as the main mechanisms involved in this complex relationship.

Ameliorative Effects of Probiotic Lactobacillus paracasei NL41 on Insulin Sensitivity, Oxidative Stress, and Beta‐Cell Function in a Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Rat Model

“…Recently, many probiotic strains have been shown to alleviate blood glucose, but very few strains can restore the blood glucose to normal levels . L. paracasei NL41 displayed great glycemia regulation ability, maintaining the glucose comparable to that in normal rats throughout the experiment.…”

Non-Systematic Review of Diet and Nutritional Risk Factors of Cardiovascular Disease in Obesity

“…At the advanced stage of heart failure, there is congestion and swelling of the intestinal wall which also increases intestinal permeability. This is directly related to the translocation of endotoxins, microbial components and microbial metabolites such as lipopolysaccharides (LPS) into the systemic circulation [141,142]. As a result, pro-inflammatory cytokines are activated and higher levels of inflammatory markers (C-reactive protein and interleukin-6) are observed in plasma [143].…”

Antibiotic‐mediated bacteriome depletion in ApcMin/+ mice is associated with reduction in mucus‐producing goblet cells and increased colorectal cancer progression

“…The gut microbiome is integral to gastrointestinal tract function and is connected to a variety of health issues [1][2][3]. Its role has been demonstrated in a number of conditions, such as diabetes [4], metabolic disorders [5], Alzheimer's disease [6], systemic lupus erythematosus [7], hypertension [8], mental disorders [9], obesity [10],…”