Gut Bacteria Cause Overeating in Mice

[The Straight Story]

Gut Bacteria Cause Overeating in Mice


The connection between gut bacteria and obesity has gained some weight, with new findings demonstrating links in mice among immune-system malfunction, bacterial imbalance and increased appetite.

Mice with altered immune systems developed metabolic disorders and were prone to overeating. When microbes from their stomachs were transplanted into other mice, they also become obese.

“This supports the notion that some of the increase in obesity may be because of changes to gut bacteria,” said Andrew Gewirtz, an Emory University immunologist and co-author of the study, published March 4 in Science.

The findings are the latest in a growing body of research about the long-unappreciated role of bacteria in our bodies. Bacterial cells actually outnumber human cells in the body: From an outside perspective, people are not so much individual organisms as symbiotic human-bacteria collectives.

Read More http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/03/bacteria-obesity/#ixzz0hIxsVeXo

[KittyWampus]

1. is the dietary choices causes the imbalance in gut bacteria?

too much sugars, simple carbs, for instance?

[Javaman]

2. Exactly. The suppression of the lipids ability to control appetite has been directly linked to

ingestion of high fructose corn syrup.

crap in, crap...in. Out, no longer exists.

[Maru Kitteh]

3. One possible culprit is the ubiquitous presence of antibiotics, both prescribed and in the environme

One possible culprit is the ubiquitous presence of antibiotics, both prescribed and in the environment, said Gewirtz.

“It may be that an unintended consequence of this has been the upset of bacterial populations that are promoting obesity and metabolic syndrome,” he said.

Read More http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/03/bacteria-obesity/#ixzz0hJkIBxPY

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THIS makes sense to me. I hope more centers pick this research up.

Anyone know what the slides on the right are?

[KittyWampus]

4. not only do we pick up antibiotics from eating animals who've been treated, it's in our water supply

from humans you are taking them.

http://ag.arizona.edu/AZWATER/awr/july00/feature1.htm

[Maru Kitteh]

5. Our town's water supply is actually downriver from the treatment plant.

I wonder if antibiotic levels have been tested in our community water supply. :-(

[earth mom]

6. Meanwhile, Dr. Wakefield, who was trying to prove gut bacteria was a huge problem for Autistic kids

was subjected to a witchhunt and basically screwed over. :argh: