Body weight heavily influenced by gut microbes: Genes shape body weight by affecting gut microbes

This article involves how our genetic makeup that is given to use from the birth effects whether or not someone is overweight or skinny.  There was an experiment done in King’s College London and Cornell University by studying what type of microbes in our body effect weight gain.  The scientists discovered a specific bacterial family that is highly heritable and more common with people who have a low body weight.  Mice were used in the experiment to test the hypothesis by transplanting the microbe that decreasing weight gain.   The mice who were given the microbe gain less weight than the ones who weren’t given the treatment.  If the hypothesis is proven to be correct then therapies will be conducted with the hope to have a reduce in obesity-related diseases.  At King’s Department of Twin Research they were conducting the experiment by studying the different amount of the microbes in in identical twins.  They took fecal samples from about 416 pairs of twins.  The type of bacteria that was identified belongs to the family Christensenellaceae, which was in individuals with lower body weight.  There are many different types of bacteria’s that are involved in food digestion but only two main classes, Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes.  Professor Tim Spector said, “Our findings show that specific groups of microbes living in our gut could be protective against obesity -- and that their abundance is influenced by our genes. The human microbiome represents an exciting new target for dietary changes and treatments aimed at combating obesity.”           

Body sizes (stock image). New research shows that our genetic makeup influences whether we are fat or thin by shaping which types of microbes thrive in our body

 

I enjoyed this article because obesity runs in my family and is something I’m concerned with. I was always interested in finding out what part of our genetic makeup influences our body mass. If it is truly a naturally way to decrease obesity-related diseases, I’m all for it compared to synthetic type medications that are being produced today to decrease weight gain. Many of the synthetic mediations have terrible side-effects that lead to more problems.

 

Source article:   http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/11/141106132204.htm