A Bad Gut Means You Aren't Burning Calories

Your metabolic rate - the number of calories you burn while sleeping or resting - is significantly affected by changes in your gut, a new study reports.

While the link between gut microbiome and obesity has long been established, how, exactly gut changes lead to weight gain has been unclear.

The University of Iowa study found that drug-induced changes in the gut microbiomes of mice reduced resting metabolic rate in the rodents, causing obesity.

"Our research leads to the conclusion that it is probably bacteria (in the gut) that are responsible for the calories you burn while you are asleep," said Dr. John Kirby, professor of microbiology and urology at the UI Carver College of Medicine.

Drugs and gut health

Similar to a recent study that found antidiabetic drugs can change gut bacteria, the current research focused on the effects of risperidone - an antipsychotic drug.

The team found that mice given the drug gained an extra 2.5 grams of weight, which the researchers were able to attribute to a reduction in resting metabolic weight caused by gut changes.

"It's about a 16 percent change in resting metabolic rate, which is enormous," said co-author Justin Grobe. "It would be 29 pounds of fat gained every year for an average human."

The findings suggest that targeting the microbiome could represent a new way to treat obesity, the authors concluded.

Source: University of Iowa

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