In a word? Yes.
New findings suggest that obesity and liver disease can be caused by proteins that change microbe populations in the stomach, according to a study published in the February 2012 issue of the journal Nature. The Yale immunobiologists' discovery suggests that obesity and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) may be infectious and treatable with targeted antibiotics. At least that was the case for mice.
NAFLD is caused by metabolic syndrome -- diabetes, hypertension, and high blood cholesterol -- which are also risk factors for heart disease.
Researchers expanded on an earlier study that showed microbial imbalances in the stomach, caused by the same family of proteins, heightened the risk of intestinal diseases such as colitis.
The most extraordinary finding, according to senior author Richard A. Flavell, a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator and professor of immunobiology at Yale School of Medicine, was that the changed intestinal environment that led to obesity and liver disease was infectious among the community of mice studied.
"When healthy mice were co-housed with mice that had altered gut microbes, the healthy mice also developed a susceptibility for development of liver disease and obesity."
It is estimated that 30 million people suffer from NAFLD in the U.S. The condition is observed in up to 75 percent of obese people, 35 percent of whom will progress to NAFLD. Fatty livers occur in 33 percent of European-Americans, 45 percent of Hispanic-Americans, and 24 percent of African-Americans. Twenty percent of people with NAFLD develop chronic liver inflammation, placing them at risk for cirrhosis and liver cancer, but the causes have been unclear and, before now, seemingly unrelated to systemic auto-inflammatory and metabolic disorders.
The proteins studied are known as "inflammasomes." They start the immune system's inflammatory response and behave as regulators and sensors of the microbial environment in the intestines.
The research team found that a deficiency in components of two particular types of inflammasomes in mice caused changes in the intestinal tract's microbial community and that the changes were associated with increased bacteria that determined the severity of obesity and (NAFLD) in the mice.
The next step, Flavell says, is extending this research to humans and identifying more precisely the bacteria involved in the progression to liver disease.
"We found, in mice, that targeted antibiotic treatment brought the microbial composition back to normal, and thus eased the liver disease. Our hope is that our findings may eventually lead to a treatment for humans."
February is American Heart Month. Please take a few minutes to visit the Yale Heart Study site and complete the heart attack survivors survey, or forward it to someone you know who has survived a heart attack. https://heartstudy.yale.edu/hacs/
Questions? Contact heart.study@yale.edu, visit facebook.com/YaleHeartStudy, or phone me at: 203-785-4872.
Disclosure: Suzanne O'Malley is a Senior Research Associate for the non-profit NIH-funded Yale Heart Study, a Faculty member of the Yale Writers' Conference & Associate/Director of Yale Summer Film Institute.
For more by Suzanne O'Malley, click here.
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Solutions are becoming available though as medical science has become to make very significant breakthroughs in the area of weight loss. Tons of clinical study and TNO Report Studies can be found at http://www-weight-management-control.com showing a completely certified weight management control device product new on the market recommended by doctors for the treatment of obesity.
Just like anything though, we are responsible for our own actions, so eating healthier and becoming more active is a good start in the right direction.
a simple perspective junk food [ too much processed food , imbalances....] lowers efficiency of immune function [ and comprimises healthy gut ] and that causes infectious problems
infection [stress] complicates but doesnt cause obesity
study mice or people eating only organically grown heritage foods
the cure for obesity is not vaccines [ universitieshave a terrible vested interest in this outofdate paradigm knowing or believing that people's badhabits are hard to change i swear they'll be promoting a vacccine against bad habits soon ] or drugs but Maharishi ayurVeda and associated vedic knowledge
western science is in a bad vicious cycle from hegemony of theory
Thanks for this comment. I think I'll write a blog "What Next? A Vaccine for Bad Habits?" We do seem to try this--one bad habit at a time!
Btw, for readers unfamiliar with GMOs, they are Genetically Modified Organisms [for more info see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetically_modified_organism].
As I read health and science literature, increasingly the bottom line is--"don't eat processed foods" (sometimes seems like that's almost everything) & cook at home" (where you know what you've put into what you're eating).
Will pass your comment along to the Study that inspired my blog.
Meanwhile, if you could pick a topic for me to investigate--one that has data that no one has written about before, what would it be? --SO
Union of concerned scientists should have data about it
i used to receive newsletters from centre for food safety
i trust wellknown genticist John Fagan about this he says we are not labrats
www.bangmfoods.org and/or biointegrity.org he's probably associated with
true story
There are GOOD reasons that farmers use antibiotics as a way to FATTEN their cows (because the antibiotics seem to disrupt digestion and fat metabolism.
However, in thousands of cases, the common element all your conditions share is caloric surpluses, consistent over consumption. Reverse this by consuming fewer calories than expended, and these conditions change. Easier said than done, but easier than you might think.
I know because I've been helping people solve their obesity for years. I have never had a patient not lose weight following my methods. I've never had someone remain obese when they consume less than they use. In all cases, thousands, the symptoms of obesity, HBP, high cholesterol, Metabolic Syndrome and fatty liver abate.
It is good to discover the interrelatedness of behavioral and biological factors of obesity, but I hope your findings don't give people reasons to excuse their obesity, finding comfort in blaming something, putting off solving the problem until a "cure" is found.
Reversing obesity and its diseases can be accomplished today. We know how. We don't have to wait for a new cure. I lost 140 pounds after 25 years of obesity when I discovered a solution as a behavior therapist and addictions counselor. I've been helping others since. Please spread the word. We have the cure, right now, at hand.
William Anderson, LMHC
Author of The Anderson Method - Secrets of Permanent Weight Loss'
www.TheAndersonMethod.com
Things that are poisonous like high fructose corn syrup have been approved for human consumption by the USA Government. It gets worst! The steroids in the Beef, Hormones in the dairy and Hormones in the Poultry have caused Americans has been poisoned by the FDA. They will never admit this because the lawsuits would break the country financially.
Do intelligent people really believe 105 million Americans "Suddenly" because pre diabetic and fat?
They need to blame someone so they blame YOU. Stop eating McDonald's they tell you while they have caused a diabetes and obesity crisis. The lesson of thin people was shown here in Midland News http://www.ourmidland.com/voices/health/article_062da990-12cf-11e1-a523-0017a4aa8e72.html
Very interesting thinking! SO