The question in the title was prompted by me because of a study that is being conducted at present which is assessing faecal microbiota transplants as a means to achieve weight loss in cats. A $73,199 grant has been awarded to Ohio State University for Jenessa Winston, DVM, PhD, DACVIM to conduct the research.
And cats are a good guide for humans because their microbiota is very similar. I’m talking about the good bacteria in the gut which is so important for the health of the animal and the human-animal. Indeed, the gut microbiome also has an impact on the immune system and how it functions. It can, I believe, lead to autoimmune diseases when the microbiome is out of balance and there’s too much bad bacteria in the gut (see end of article).
I think we are understanding that the gut microbiome is very important for our health.
For the sake of clarity, a faecal microbiota transplant (FMT) involves transferring faecal matter from a healthy donor into the gastrointestinal tract of a recipient with the goal of restoring a balanced and healthy gut microbiota which has become disrupted and damaged for various reasons one of which might be because the recipient is being administered antibiotics which kill both good and bad bacteria.
FMT is normally used to treat recurrent Clostridium difficile infections but is also used for other health issues. And in this instance there’s a trial to see whether it can improve weight.
In humans, with respect to gut microbiota and obesity, there is growing evidence to suggest that it plays a significant role in regulating metabolism, energy balance and indeed weight. Studies have demonstrated that obese individuals often have a different composition of gut bacteria compared to lean individuals which is led to researchers investigating whether altering the gut microbiota through FMT might help in weight management.
Some studies have explored this with mixed results. There was a small study published in 2015 which found that transferring faecal microbiota from lean individuals to obese recipients improved insulin sensitivity but did not result in significant weight loss. Other studies have come up with similar results. Metabolic markers were altered but there was limited impact on weight loss.
There is a complex relationship between gut microbiota and weight which involve genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors. FMT has potential but is not currently recommended for weight loss in humans.
Concerning domestic cats, as mentioned above, research is being carried out into how gut microbiota might influence weight but currently there’s no strong evidence to suggest that FMT can effectively induce weight loss and cats. Most veterinary uses of FMT concern gastrointestinal health rather than an attempt to change the metabolism and thereby lose weight.
More: Feline IBD – overview plus conventional and FMT treatments
An imbalanced gut microbiome, known as dysbiosis, can disrupt the immune system’s normal functioning. The gut microbiome plays a key role in regulating immune responses, and when its balance is disturbed, it can lead to chronic inflammation and inappropriate immune activation. This can cause the immune system to mistakenly attack the body’s own tissues, contributing to the development of autoimmune diseases. Dysbiosis can increase gut permeability (“leaky gut”), allowing harmful substances to enter the bloodstream and trigger autoimmune reactions.
P.S. please forgive the occasional typo. These articles are written at breakneck speed using Dragon Dictate. I have to prepare them in around 20 mins. Also: sources for news articles are carefully selected but the news is often not independently verified. Also, I rely on scientific studies but they are not 100% reliable.
