The culprit has been revealed.
Researchers from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston suggest that specific strains of gut microbes could significantly increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Dr. Daniel Wang, an assistant professor of nutrition, stated, “We believe that changes in the gut microbiome contribute to type 2 diabetes.” He added that altering the microbiome through interventions like dietary adjustments, probiotics, or fecal transplants could potentially lower the risk of developing the metabolic disorder.
The gut microbiome consists of trillions of bacteria, fungi, parasites, and viruses, all playing crucial roles in health by aiding digestion, producing essential nutrients, and influencing immune responses.
Previous research hinted at a connection between changes in the gut microbiome and the onset of type 2 diabetes, but the direction of this relationship remained unclear: whether the microbiome triggers diabetes or vice versa.
In their study, the researchers analyzed genetic data from over 8,100 individuals worldwide, including healthy individuals, those with prediabetes, and people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. They identified specific microbial strains associated with functions linked to increased diabetes risk, such as Prevotella copri, which produces branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) known to elevate diabetes and obesity risk.
Surprisingly, the researchers also found that bacteriophages, viruses that infect bacteria, might influence these microbial changes, potentially affecting diabetes risk.
Further investigation using samples from newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes patients suggested that microbiome differences may indeed contribute to diabetes rather than being a consequence of the disease or its treatment.
While the study sheds light on potential microbial influences on diabetes, Wang emphasized the need for more extensive research to establish these relationships conclusively, especially over extended periods and focusing on specific microbial functions.
Published in Nature Medicine, this research underscores the personalized nature of the human microbiome, highlighting the potential for personalized interventions to reshape microbiomes and mitigate disease risks, according to Curtis Huttenhower, a professor of computational biology and bioinformatics at Harvard.
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