Energy-balance studies reveal associations between gut microbes, caloric load, and nutrient absorption in humans.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Studies in mice indicate that the gut microbiome influences both sides of the energy-balance equation by contributing to nutrient absorption and regulating host genes that affect adiposity. However, it remains uncertain as to what extent gut microbiota are an important regulator of nutrient absorption in humans.

Objective

With the use of a carefully monitored inpatient study cohort, we tested how gut bacterial community structure is affected by altering the nutrient load in lean and obese individuals and whether their microbiota are correlated with the efficiency of dietary energy harvest.

Design

We investigated dynamic changes of gut microbiota during diets that varied in caloric content (2400 compared with 3400 kcal/d) by pyrosequencing bacterial 16S ribo

SUBMITTER: Jumpertz R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3127503 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature