The Influence of Nutrition on Intestinal Permeability and the Microbiome in Health and Disease

Abstract

The leakage of the intestinal barrier and the disruption of the gut microbiome are increasingly recognized as key factors in different pathophysiological conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), chronic liver diseases, obesity, diabetes mellitus, types of cancer, and neuropsychiatric disorders. In this study, the mechanisms leading to dysbiosis and “leaky gut” are reviewed, and a short summary of the current knowledge regarding different diseases is provided. The simplest way to restore intestinal permeability and the microbiota could be ideal nutrition. Further therapeutic options are also available, such as the administration of probiotics or postbiotics or fecal microbiota transplantation.

New Insights of OLFM2 and OLFM4 in Gut-Liver Axis and Their Potential Involvement in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

“…Unfortunately, although OLFM4 seems to play relevant roles as an anti-inflammatory molecule in Helicobacter pylori infection [31] and gastric and intestinal disorders [33,34], which could suggest that OLFM4 is involved in NAFLD pathogenesis through microbiota changes and the gut-liver axis, in our study, the mRNA expression of this protein in jejunal samples was not significantly different between the hepatic histopathological groups. In the literature there are no other studies in this area, but probably in those patients with MO who present an intestinal dysbiosis associated with obesity, there is an activation of inflammasomes and also of the immune system [36,37] that gives rise to an inflammatory microenvironment capable of masking the possible relationship that could have expression in the jejunum of OLFM4 with liver histology. Therefore, to further investigate this relationship, additional studies should be performed in subjects of normal weight.…”

Disturbances of the Gut Microbiota and Microbiota-Derived Metabolites in Inflammatory Bowel Disease

“…Impaired intestinal barrier function promotes the occurrence and development of IBD [ 53 ]. Symbiotic bacteria colonize the surface of the mucosal epithelial layer and form a microbial barrier, which can resist the invasion of pathogenic microorganisms and protect the health of the host through colonization resistance or modulation of the intestinal innate immune response [ 54 ].…”

UEG position paper: Obesity and digestive health

“…-Twenty percent of paediatric 7 and 40% of adult 8 patients with IBD are overweight or obese -A western-type diet is thought to contribute to obesity and IBD 9 -Obesity and/or visceral adiposity may increase the risk for developing surgical complications, hospitalisation and post-operative recurrence in patients with IBD [10][11][12][13][14] Obesity and liver disease -NAFLD is common in people who are obese or morbidly obese (prevalence of 70%-95%) 15 -NAFLD is a leading cause of liver-related mortality in Europe, predicted to become the leading cause of end-stage liver disease unless urgent action is taken 16,17 Obesity and digestive cancers -Obesity is an established risk factor for multiple types of cancer, 18 including pancreatic, 19,20 liver, 21,22 and colorectal 23 cancer -In 2019, 4.6% of all cancer deaths were attributable to obesity 24…”

“…Obesity and inflammatory bowel disease Twenty percent of paediatric 7 and 40% of adult 8 patients with IBD are overweight or obese A western‐type diet is thought to contribute to obesity and IBD 9 Obesity and/or visceral adiposity may increase the risk for developing surgical complications, hospitalisation and post‐operative recurrence in patients with IBD 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 …”