Health
A bacterium that lives in the human large intestine can slow down the activity of “good” adipose tissue — fat that burns calories quickly and can prevent obesity, scientists said. New studies, published in the Journal of Proteome Research, may shed light on ways to prevent excess weight, as well as new ways to lose weight, including possible microbial and pharmaceutical approaches, said the study authors.
Scientists have explained that trillions of bacteria live in the large intestine of a healthy person that help digest food and form certain vitamins. However, in recent years, scientists have realized that these bacteria do more — they interact with the entire body, which affects energy use and fat deposition, and they also adjust the immune system.
Scientists have drawn attention to how these bacteria affect the activity of brown fat. This “good” fat burns calories quickly before they are stored as regular white fat. Brown fat is found in small amounts around the neck, while white fat can be found around the waist and buttocks. So far, no one has tested whether these bacteria can affect brown fat in any way.
During the experiments, scientists compared mice that did not have a large number of bacteria in the large intestine and ordinary mice. They found that bacteria actually influence the effect of brown fat. Brown fat in the first group of rodents was more active, burning more calories than in ordinary animals. Large intestine bacteria also appear to be related to gender differences in weight. Normal males were heavier and fatter than females, but in mice with fewer bacteria, these differences disappeared.
Studies have also shown that males and females interact differently with the bacterium, which may explain why more severe forms of obesity are more likely to suffer from women. The results of these studies may provide an opportunity to learn more about brown fat and suggest how to prevent and treat obesity.