Scientists at Nottingham Trent University have found that endotoxins from the gut can enter the bloodstream and directly affect how well fat cells work. They can cause obesity and related diseases such as type II diabetes. Study published magazine BMC medicine.
Endotoxins are toxic substances found in the cell walls of bacteria and released when they break down. In a healthy gut, endotoxins are part of the life cycle of microbes that play an important role in a person’s overall health. But in obese people, the intestinal barrier is more fragile, allowing endotoxins to enter the bloodstream.
During the study, the researchers studied 156 people, 63 of whom were classified as obese or had bariatric surgery. The team collected blood and fat samples from the participants.
They examined two types of fat cells: white fat cells, which store energy, and brown fat cells, which use energy and are associated with metabolic activity. Apparently, white fat cells from obese people are less likely to turn into brown fat cells than fat cells from lean people.
“This is due to the higher levels of endotoxins found in the blood of obese participants. The authors noted that bariatric surgery reduced the amount of endotoxin in the participants’ blood, which was associated with an improvement in the metabolic state of the fat cells.
The study highlights the importance of the gut and fat as the most important interconnected organs affecting an individual’s metabolic health.