New research out of Canada has found that there appears to be a link between gut bacteria and type 2 diabetes. Although the findings were tentative, the team was granted $2 million to further understand the link between gut bacteria, diabetes and obesity.
The research
Samples of abdominal fat deposits and the liver were taken from 40 people with severe obesity who were undergoing bariatric surgery in order to identify the kinds of bacteria in the tissue. Half the group had type 2 diabetes and the other half didn’t (although they showed signs of insulin resistance.)
The scientists found clear differences in the bacteria from the group with diabetes compared to the other group. Specifically, the group with diabetes had the greatest number of bacteria in the liver and the fatty material between the stomach and colon. The team theorizes that the bacteria in the diabetes came from the intestines, which becomes more permeable in those with obesity.
“Our findings suggest that in people suffering from severe obesity, bacteria or fragments of bacteria are associated with the development of type 2 diabetes,” explains Professor Andre Marette, lead author. “Our hypothesis is that living bacteria and bacterial fragments cross this barrier and set off an inflammatory process that ultimately prevents insulin from doing its job, which is to regulate blood glucose levels by acting on metabolic tissues.”
Future research
For the next round of research, the scientists will look at the relationship between gut bacteria, diabetes and obesity to try to determine if some bacteria may help combat diabetes.
“Our next objective is to determine if the bacteria found in the liver and fat deposits of people [living with] severe obesity are also present in those [who are] overweight or moderately obese,” says Professor Marette. “We also want to see if certain pathogenic bacteria found in the tissues can trigger type 2 diabetes in an animal model. And lastly, we want to find out if certain beneficial bacteria found in these tissues can be used to prevent the development of the disease.”
