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   New Research Explores Link Between Gut Health and Diabetes   
      
   September 21, 2015 / By Chronic Conditions Team   
      
   Contributor Betul Hatipoglu, MD   
      
   Diabetes is growing at an alarming rate. As an endocrinologist, I have been   
   trying to understand the underlying causes of its increase in the United   
   States and the rest of the world. I suspect few of us working in the field of   
   endocrinology could have    
   imagined that one day we might link the microbes in our gut to be possibly one   
   of the causes of this increase.   
      
   We carry almost six pounds of microbes in our gut, which form our gut   
   microbiome. Each person has a unique gut microbiome (also known as gut   
   microbiota) based on a number of factors.   
      
   These include:   
      
   genetic background   
   diet   
   antibiotics exposure   
   age   
   Your gut microbiota is as personalized as your signature. For example, some   
   groups of microbes are inherited, and others are environmentally acquired. A   
   group called Christensenellaceae is associated with a lean and healthy   
   lifestyle and is very strongly    
   inherited in families.   
      
   This unique mix of bacteria is diverse and responsible for numerous functions.   
   For instance, some of our gut bacteria protect against external bacteria and   
   support our immune system. They also help regulate intestinal hormone   
   secretion and synthesize    
   vitamin K and several B-vitamins, including folate and vitamin B12.   
      
      
   New research links gut microbes to Type 2 diabetes   
   In recent years, new research suggests that microbes in our gut may play a   
   role in the development of Type 2 diabetes. Some microbes form toxins that   
   enter the gut and cause inflammation in the body, which affects the liver and   
   fat cells. As a result,    
   insulin sensitivity and overall metabolism can change.   
      
   Studies have focused on two main populations of microbes:   
      
   bacteroidetes, which are thought to be important for protein and carbohydrate   
   digestion in the gut   
   firmicutes, which are involved in dietary fat processing   
   Researchers are finding stunning links between the changes in our gut flora   
   mix in the last decades and the possible link with an increase in obesity and   
   diabetes.   
      
   Even though the relation between changes in the gut flora and the development   
   of diabetes has not yet been proven, the suggestions are becoming strong   
   enough to warrant more research.   
      
   Studies focus on other aspects of gut flora   
   Some studies now explore the benefits and protective effects of improving the   
   gut flora in children who have Type 1 diabetes. Researchers are intensively   
   working to understand how these microorganisms may affect cardiovascular   
   disease and diabetes and    
   possibly help change the gut flora to better mix with natural interventions,   
   such as a healthier diet.   
      
   A Cleveland Clinic study has been examining at the impact of bariatric surgery   
   on diabetes. Researchers found that the gastric bypass procedure not only took   
   off weight, but it also increased the ability of the pancreas to produce   
   insulin five-fold.    
   Researchers were surprised to find that a hormone change in the gut, caused by   
   the bypass, triggers the pancreas to make insulin again.   
      
      
   In addition to Type 2 diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease, other   
   diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease and colon cancer, asthma and   
   multiple sclerosis have been linked to changes seen in the gut flora.   
      
   How your diet and lifestyle affect gut microbiota   
   Diet is probably the single most important factor that influences gut   
   microbiota. Studies on animals have shown that changes in diet result in   
   changes in the gut microbes. Human studies have confirmed these findings.   
      
   A healthy low-fat, high-fiber diet has been linked to a more diverse and   
   better gut microbiota compared to a diet rich in fat and low in fiber.   
   Research has also shown that human gut microbiota adapt and shift when exposed   
   to a plant-based diet compared    
   to an animal-based diet within a few days.   
      
   It has been suggested that physical activity is also a significant influence   
   on the gut microbiota. Smoking cessation also likely influences the gut   
   microbiota.   
      
   What you can do to keep your gut healthy   
   We'll probably learn a lot more from future studies, and we'll likely   
   understand the underlying mechanisms and use this knowledge to find new ways   
   to treat different diseases. But until then, eating healthy and exercising can   
   help maintain and develop a    
   healthy gut microbiome.   
      
   This post is based on one of a series of articles produced by U.S. News &   
   World Report in association with the medical experts at Cleveland Clinic.    
      
   Tags: diabetes, gut microbiota, healthy diet, Type 2 diabetes   
      
      
      
   http://health.clevelandclinic.org/2015/09/new-research-explores-   
   ink-gut-health-diabetes/   
      
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