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Study: Low-calorie diet promotes health thanks to intestinal flora
The intestinal flora and its effects on the immune system ensure a healthier general condition and an increased life expectancy with a low-calorie diet. These are the results of an international research team that conducted extensive nutritional studies in mice. The researchers also discovered active ingredients that act as a low-calorie diet for the body. These could be used to treat overweight and obesity.
A low-calorie diet extends the life of mice and leads to better general health. Supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF), international researchers found the cause of this effect, in which the intestinal bacteria and their effects on the immune system play a central role. The scientists also identified new active ingredients that could be used to treat obesity. The study results were recently published in the renowned journal "Cell Metabolism".
Less is more
A calorie reduction of up to 40 percent led to numerous positive effects in mice, such as lower blood sugar levels, faster fat burning and longer life expectancy. According to the study results, even a 30-day low-calorie diet led to the diverse health benefits. Among other things, the rodents gained an increased mass of beige fat. This type of adipose tissue is involved in faster fat burning and helps accelerate weight loss.
Numerous health benefits
"The immune system clearly not only fights infections, but also plays a key role in regulating metabolism," study director Professor Mirko Trajkovski from the University of Geneva reports in a press release on the study results. Not only would the mice have more beige fat and less weight, they would also respond better to insulin. Your liver would process sugar and fat in a healthier way and the rodents would be able to endure even colder temperatures.
New active substances against obesity
In further tests, the team examined mice in which no intestinal flora had formed because they grew up under sterile conditions. These sterile rodents received microorganisms from the appendix of mice on a low-calorie diet. As a result, more sterile fat was formed in the sterile mice and they became slimmer. They benefited from the microorganisms without having built them up themselves through a low-calorie diet.
How do the microorganisms work on burning fat?
In analyzes of microbial communities, the research team recognized that the intestinal flora of mice with a low-calorie diet produced less toxic lipopolysaccharides (LPS). These are components of the outer membrane of bacteria that are released when they decay and can be toxic. As the researchers found, almost all health benefits were lost once blood LPS levels returned to normal.
Eat normally and benefit from a low-calorie diet?
In further experiments, the scientists tested two active substances in mice. One reduced the production of toxic LPS by the bacteria, the other active ingredient blocked the specific signal receptor TLR4 (Toll-like Receptor 4), which is responsible for the detection of the LPS signals. In this way, the research team was able to simulate a low-calorie diet with all positive aspects, even though the mice did not eat a low-calorie diet.
Is The Pill Against Obesity Coming Soon?
“One day, it might be possible to treat obese people with a drug that simulates calorie restriction,” said Trajkovski, summarizing the research. His team is currently researching specific changes in bacterial communities and testing other compounds that inhibit LPS production and signal transmission. It may take some time before there is an anti-obesity drug. For example, those affected can use a low-energy diet with normal satiety that promotes weight loss. (vb)
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