GUT MICROBIOME IN METABOLIC DISORDERS
Main Article Content
Keywords
Gut microbiome, metabolic disorders, obesity, type 2 diabetes, short-chain fatty acids, dysbiosis, metabolic syndrome
Abstract
The human gut microbiome, which amounts to trillions of microbes, plays a role in the maintenance of metabolic homeostasis. The advances of recent times in metagenomics and metabolomics have established that changes in gut microbial composition, or dysbiosis, are strongly associated with metabolic disorders such as obesity, T2DM, metabolic syndrome, and NAFLD. Studies demonstrate that T2DM patients have a 15–25% reduction in butyrate-producing bacteria (e.g., Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, Roseburia spp.) and a 40% increase in opportunistic pathogens (Escherichia, Ruminococcus gnavus) compared to healthy controls. Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) of microbiota such as acetate, propionate, and butyrate have been found through experimental trials to strongly control host metabolism to increase insulin sensitivity by 25–40% and reduce fasting glucose levels by up to 1.2 mmol/L (p < 0.05). In parallel, fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) from lean donor to obese or insulin-resistant recipient resulted in a median rise in peripheral insulin sensitivity from 26.2 to 45.3 μmol·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹ after six weeks (p < 0.05).In addition, diet interventions like high-fiber supplementation were found to increase circulating SCFAs by 60–70%, which contributed to enhanced lipid metabolism and reduced low-grade inflammation indicated by a 35% decrease in plasma TNF-α (p < 0.01). In spite of these promising results, interindividual variation and methodological heterogeneity—most notably, sequencing depth and microbial diversity metrics—preclude direct comparability between studies.
To sum up, numerous pieces of evidence indicate that the selective adjustment of gut microbiota through prebiotics, probiotics, diet, and FMT has a very promising therapeutic potential for the handling of metabolic disorders. The full understanding of these complex interactions between the host and microbes may lead to the development of precision therapies based on the microbiome for the prevention and treatment of metabolic diseases.
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Umair Latif
Medical Officer at Abid Medical Center Qabola
Muhammad Irtiza Tariq
Medical Officer at Maryam Nawaz Health clinic Jeewan Shah,
Ali Akasha
Medical Officer at Ahmad Hospital Islamabad,
Muhammad Zuhair
Medical Officer at Rose surgical care unit in park view lahore pakistan,
Muhammad Ahmad Virk
Medical Officer at Care First Rehabilitation Center Sheikhupura,
Hamza Mushtaq
Medical Officer at Hope uplift Foundation Chiniot