New Evidence on Temporary Caloric Restriction
A breakthrough discovery sheds light on the profound effects of intermittent caloric restriction (ICR)
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In the fight against the global obesity crisis, a groundbreaking discovery sheds light on the profound effects of intermittent caloric restriction (ICR) on both the intestines and the brain. Chinese researchers conducted a 62-day study with 25 obese volunteers and found not only significant weight loss but also fascinating changes in brain activity and the gut microbiome.
During the ICR program, participants lost an average of 7.6 kilograms, which corresponds to 7.8 percent of their body weight. The study, led by health researcher Qiang Zeng, uncovered dynamic shifts in the brain-gut-microbiome axis, which represent a crucial connection on the path to a healthier weight.
What does it mean?
Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans revealed changes in brain activity, particularly in regions critical for appetite regulation and addictive behavior. The intestinal microbiome, which was examined using stool samples and blood measurements, showed connections between specific bacteria and brain regions.
For example, bacteria such as Coprococcus and Eubacterium hallii have been found to be linked to activity in the left inferior frontal orbital gyrus, a key area for executive functions, including willpower in controlling food intake.
“The intestinal microbiome and the brain communicate in complex, bidirectional communication,” explains medical scientist Xiaoning Wang from the State Clinic Center for Geriatrics in China. “Understanding how neurotransmitters and neurotoxins produced by the microbiome affect the brain and vice versa opens the door for innovative approaches to control food intake.”
Why is it important?
With more than a billion people around the world struggling with overweight and associated health risks, these findings could revolutionize strategies to prevent and reduce obesity. The complicated interplay between intestines and brain is the key to personalized solutions to successfully lose weight and maintain a healthy weight.
The next challenge is to decipher the exact mechanisms that control communication between the gut microbiome and the brain during weight loss. This knowledge could pave the way for targeted interventions tailored to individual needs and represent an important step in the fight against obesity.
References
Zhou, J., Wu, X, Xiang, T., Liu, F., Gao, H., Li, T., Yan, B., Li, Zhang, C., Wang, L., Ou, L., Li, Z., Wang, W., Yang, T., Li, F., Ma, H., Zhao, X, Mi, N, Yu, Z., Zeng, Q (2023). Dynamic alterations of brain function and good microbiomes in weight loss. Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcimb.2023.1269548
Publiziert
6.9.2024
Kategorie
Health
Experte
In the fight against the global obesity crisis, a groundbreaking discovery sheds light on the profound effects of intermittent caloric restriction (ICR) on both the intestines and the brain. Chinese researchers conducted a 62-day study with 25 obese volunteers and found not only significant weight loss but also fascinating changes in brain activity and the gut microbiome.
During the ICR program, participants lost an average of 7.6 kilograms, which corresponds to 7.8 percent of their body weight. The study, led by health researcher Qiang Zeng, uncovered dynamic shifts in the brain-gut-microbiome axis, which represent a crucial connection on the path to a healthier weight.
What does it mean?
Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans revealed changes in brain activity, particularly in regions critical for appetite regulation and addictive behavior. The intestinal microbiome, which was examined using stool samples and blood measurements, showed connections between specific bacteria and brain regions.
For example, bacteria such as Coprococcus and Eubacterium hallii have been found to be linked to activity in the left inferior frontal orbital gyrus, a key area for executive functions, including willpower in controlling food intake.
“The intestinal microbiome and the brain communicate in complex, bidirectional communication,” explains medical scientist Xiaoning Wang from the State Clinic Center for Geriatrics in China. “Understanding how neurotransmitters and neurotoxins produced by the microbiome affect the brain and vice versa opens the door for innovative approaches to control food intake.”
Why is it important?
With more than a billion people around the world struggling with overweight and associated health risks, these findings could revolutionize strategies to prevent and reduce obesity. The complicated interplay between intestines and brain is the key to personalized solutions to successfully lose weight and maintain a healthy weight.
The next challenge is to decipher the exact mechanisms that control communication between the gut microbiome and the brain during weight loss. This knowledge could pave the way for targeted interventions tailored to individual needs and represent an important step in the fight against obesity.
Experte
Referenzen
Zhou, J., Wu, X, Xiang, T., Liu, F., Gao, H., Li, T., Yan, B., Li, Zhang, C., Wang, L., Ou, L., Li, Z., Wang, W., Yang, T., Li, F., Ma, H., Zhao, X, Mi, N, Yu, Z., Zeng, Q (2023). Dynamic alterations of brain function and good microbiomes in weight loss. Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcimb.2023.1269548
Publiziert
6.9.2024
Kategorie
Health
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