Gut microorganisms rely largely on energy derived from the human diet to perform metabolic functions essential for their survival, and the gut microbiome composition therefore rapidly responds to the food we eat. A decrease in the nutrient flow in the gastrointestinal tract, caused by caloric restriction or fasting, can thus have far-reaching effects on gut microbes and our physiology. Authors in this study, elucidated the complex interplay between caloric restriction, the gut microbiome, and intestinal tissue. They observed that the gut microbiome has an increased reliance on host-derived substrates when dietary substrates are lacking, and the profound remodeling of intestinal tissues during fasting leads to a renewal of the mucosa, changes in immune function, and a decreased inflammatory state. This leads to the hypothesis that therapeutic effects of fasting on the gut ecosystem might originate in the ability of host tissues to regain control of the microbial environment.
Link to the article: http://bit.ly/3ZZAnBt
Published On: /04/2023