Gastric bypass surgery alters gut microbiota profile along the intestine

ScienceDaily (July 10, 2012) — Research to be presented at the Annual Meeting of the Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior (SSIB) finds that gastric bypass surgery induces changes in the gut microbiota and peptide release that are similar to those seen after treatment with prebiotics.

See Also:Health & MedicineGastrointestinal ProblemsColitisObesityPlants & AnimalsVeterinary MedicineMiceBacteriaReferenceBotulismDigestionGastrointestinal tractOverweight

Previous animal research demonstrated that ingestion of a high-fat diet produces weight gain and profoundly affects the gut microbiota composition, resulting in a greater abundance of one type of bacteria called Firmicutes, and a decrease in Bifidobacteria spp and Bacteroidetes. A similar pattern has also been found in obese humans. Feeding of prebiotics, substances that enhance the growth of beneficial bacteria, changes the composition and/or the activity of the gastrointestinal microbiota, to promote the release of gut peptides and to improve glucose and lipid metabolism in diet-induced obese and type 2 diabetic mice.

Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery is considered the most effective treatment of morbid obesity and diabetes. Recent studies reported substantial shifts in the composition of the gut microbiota towards lower concentrations of Firmicutes and increased Bacteroidetes in obese subjects after RYGB. Most of the human studies on gut microbiota have been carried out using fecal samples which may not accurately represent how RYGB surgery affects the gut microbiota profile along different parts of the intestine.

Because RYGB may affect how nutrients are absorbed in different portions of the intestine, a new study conducted by researchers at the University of Zurich measured the bacterial composition and the amounts of different peptides that affect food intake along different intestinal segments after RYGB in rats. They found that 14 weeks after surgery, Bifidobacteria spp, and Bacteroides-Prevotella spp content were significantly increased in several portions of the intestine in RYGB rats compared to control animals. In fact, the changes in gut microbe populations after RGYB resembled those seen after treatment with prebiotics. Gut microbiota changes were also associated with altered production of gastrointestinal hormones known to control energy balance.

The lead author on this study, Melania Osto, Ph.D. said "Our findings show that RYGB surgery leads to changes in gut microbiota that resemble those seen after treatment with prebiotics. The results of this study suggest that postsurgical gut microbiota modulations may influence gut peptide release and significantly contribute to the beneficial metabolic effects of RYGB surgery."

Share this story on Facebook, Twitter, and Google:

Other social bookmarking and sharing tools:

View the Original article

Risk factors for heart attack remain low seven years after gastric bypass

ScienceDaily (June 20, 2012) — Total cholesterol, triglycerides and C-reactive protein levels are among 11 risk factors for heart attack that remained greatly reduced up to seven years after gastric bypass surgery, according to a new Stanford University study

View the Original article

Gastric Bypass Surgery

Rob Ainslie   Good article Joe, yet I ponder the fact, is this really a healthy way to loose weight, sure messing with the innards is not the best way to go..unless these from a disease or the likes have gotten too big..? Just a thought...Good article Joe, yet I ponder the fact, is this really a healthy way to loose weight, sure messing with the innards is not the best way to go..unless these from a disease or the likes have gotten too big..? Just a thought...

ReplyTweet about 11 hours agoAdd a comment... Email Address
Password
Your Name
Email Address
Password


View the Original article

Lower death risk with heart bypass vs. angioplasty

Older patients with clogged heart arteries may have a little lower death risk over time if they get bypass operations instead of angioplasty and stents to fix the problem, new research suggests.

It's not the kind of study that gives conclusive evidence, but doctors say it gives a "real world" look at how people fare in ordinary practice. As such, it could tip the balance toward surgery for patients considering the choice, especially because research already shows bypass gives a better and longer lasting result for people with multiple blockages.

In a bypass operation, doctors move healthy blood vessels from other parts of the body to detour around clogged arteries supplying blood to the heart. Angioplasty treats the problem via a tube pushed through a blood vessel. A tiny balloon is inflated to flatten the clog and a mesh scaffold, a stent, is placed to prop the artery open.

Researchers compared these approaches using records on 190,000 Medicare patients with two or three blockages

View the Original article