Appetite, Weight, and the Gut Microbiome:
What Research Is Revealing
How Short - Chain Fatty Acids Regulates Appetite
Short - chain fatty acids (SCFAs), produced by gut bacteria are powerful regulators of appetite by boosting GLP - 1 and other key hormones.
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Metabolites—like acetate, propionate, and butyrate—activate receptors on intestinal L - cells, triggering the release of
glucagon - like peptide -1 (GLP-1), a hormone that suppresses hunger.
SCFAs also increases the release of peptide YY (PYY), another gut hormone that signals fullness. ​​
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Firmicutes vs.Bacteroidetes in the Weight Gain Game
The ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes, two dominant bacterial phyla in the human gut microbiome, has emerged as a intriguing player in the
science of weight gain.
Research suggests that a higher Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes (F/B) ratio can be linked to increased body weight, as Firmicutes are particularly efficient at extracting energy from food, especially complex carbohydrates, leading to greater calorie absorption.
In contrast, Bacteroidetes are associated with leaner profiles, potentially due to their role in breaking down less calorie-dense substrates.
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