Your Gut Drives the Metabolic Bus
If you’re looking to keep chronic disease at bay, take care of your gut- specifically your gut bacteria. Research conducted at the Boyce Thompson Institute (BTI) and Cornell University shows that a certain fatty acid made by gut bacteria impacts fat metabolism in animals.
This emerging science directly pinpoints the interaction between food intake, gut bacteria, and metabolic health, providing evidence that could direct our approach to managing metabolic diseases.
Scientists studied a specific gut bacteria made by fatty acids that contain a cyclopropane ring, a special chemical structure. This structure can be modified into signals that influence fat desaturation in the nematode C elegans, an organism frequently used to evaluate biology in humans.
C elegans on its own made a similar fatty acid compound that manages the same metabolic pathway as the bacterial cyclopropane fats.
Bennett Fox, a post-doctoral researcher at BTI and first author of the study, notes "Our research suggests that the host organism may have acquired the ability to produce its own signaling molecule, mimicking bacterial biochemistry, through a gene obtained from bacteria -- a process known as horizontal gene transfer,".
Recently published in Nature Communications, the research indicated that the bacterial and endogenous fatty acids both influence a host receptor that acts as a central regulator of overall fat metabolism.
This link between bacterial metabolites and host lipid metabolism provides information on how our bodies could use beneficial gut bacteria to regulate physiologic processes including metabolic dysfunction and obesity.
Frank Schroeder, a professor at BTI and senior author of the study, stated "Microbiota-dependent metabolites regulate virtually every aspect of animal physiology, including development, metabolism, and immune responses. Despite the life-sustaining importance of these metabolites, many of their structures remain unknown,".
Chemicals made by bacteria affecting their host metabolism is an area of research that’s very promising. Future research can evaluate host-bacterial interactions to further comprehend and possibly improve metabolic health.
Fox notes, “As we gain clarity regarding the molecular mechanisms of fat metabolism and its regulation by specific diet-derived compounds, we step closer to harnessing this knowledge for better health outcomes in humans,".
"This research not only broadens our understanding of basic biological processes but also highlights potential pathways for future exploration in human health and disease management.".
Below are tips for best gut health:
· Swap refined grains for whole grains, which are higher in dietary fiber. Rolled oats, whole grain pasta, brown rice, bulgur, quinoa, and farro are examples.
· Include more whole fruit in your diet and include the peels. Apples, pears, and stone fruits are examples. Berries, melon, kiwi, grapes, pineapple, mango, and bananas also provide fiber.
· Add cruciferous vegetables to your diet. Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and kale provide antioxidants that may reduce inflammation in your gut.2
· Eat more beans. Beans and lentils are loaded with fiber, which produces short-chain fatty acids when broken down. Short-chain fatty acids help fuel gut bacteria.
· Limit or avoid alcohol. Heavy alcohol use can negatively affect the composition and function of the gut microbiome.3
· Reduce ultra-processed foods such as fast food and snacks containing refined carbohydrates like chips, cookies, and pastries. Emulsifiers, sweeteners, and artificial colors may negatively impact the gut microbiome. 4
Lisa Andrews, MEd, RD, LD
Journal References:
1. Bennett W. Fox, Maximilian J. Helf, Russell N. Burkhardt, Alexander B. Artyukhin, Brian J. Curtis, Diana Fajardo Palomino, Allen F. Schroeder, Amaresh Chaturbedi, Arnaud Tauffenberger, Chester J. J. Wrobel, Ying K. Zhang, Siu Sylvia Lee, Frank C. Schroeder. Evolutionarily related host and microbial pathways regulate fat desaturation in C. elegans. Nature Communications, 2024; 15 (1) DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45782-2
2. Bouranis JA, Beaver LM, Jiang D, Choi J, Wong CP, Davis EW, Williams DE, Sharpton TJ, Stevens JF, Ho E. Interplay between Cruciferous Vegetables and the Gut Microbiome: A Multi-Omic Approach. Nutrients. 2022 Dec 22;15(1):42. doi: 10.3390/nu15010042. PMID: 36615700; PMCID: PMC9824405.
3. Jew MH, Hsu CL. Alcohol, the gut microbiome, and liver disease. J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2023 Aug;38(8):1205-1210. doi: 10.1111/jgh.16199. Epub 2023 Apr 25. PMID: 37096652.
4. Whelan K, Bancil AS, Lindsay JO, Chassaing B. Ultra-processed foods and food additives in gut health and disease. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2024 Feb 22. doi: 10.1038/s41575-024-00893-5. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38388570.
