Obesity is linked with the composition
of microbes in the human gut. In new research, bacterial composition in the
gut, as well as accompanying metabolites are shown to undergo a profound and
permanent shift, with microbial diversity significantly increasing following
gastric bypass surgery.
A new study
compares the two most common surgical therapies for obesity, known as Roux-en-Y
gastric bypass (RYGB), and laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB). The
results demonstrate that RYGB -- the more aggressive of the two surgeries --
produces profound changes in the composition of microbial communities in the
gut, with the resulting gut flora distinct from both obese and normal weight
patients. The results are likely due to the dramatic reorganization of the gut
caused by RYGB surgery, which increases microbial diversity. The new research
paves the way for new diagnostics and therapies for obesity.
The gamut of adverse health effects
associated with obesity is broad, including such devastating illnesses as type
2 diabetes, coronary artery disease, stroke and certain forms of cancer.
Patients often suffer a loss of mobility, social isolation and inability to
work. Currently, bariatric surgery is the most effective treatment for morbid
obesity, in terms of significant and sustained weight loss.
The study sought to explore long-term
changes in the gut in patients who had undergone either of the two surgeries at
least 9 months prior, comparing them with normal weight and pre-bariatric obese
patients. While the reasons for the sharp disparity of results between RYGB and
gastric banding are not entirely clear, the results indicate that simply
reducing the size of the stomach through gastric banding is not sufficient to
induce the large changes in microbial communities observed for the RYGB group.
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Posted by Dr. Tim Sandle
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Pharmaceutical Microbiology