The reactions of certain bacteria in the gut may be linked to the way the body regulates weight, according to new research.
Scientists at UT Southwestern Medical Center said that they had discovered a molecule, known as Gpr41, which could slow the speed at which food moves through the intestine.
The team suggested that by seeking to control this molecule, researchers could potentially develop a new treatment for weight loss.
In the mouse study, a team at UT Southwestern Medical Center raised a group of animals that was lacking in Gpr41.
They monitored how this difference would affect the rats digestion and found that food passed more quickly through the intestine, with the animals absorbing less of the foods energy.
“Its quite possible that blocking this receptor molecule in the intestine might fight a certain kind of obesity by blocking absorption of energy from the gut,” senior co-author of the study Dr. Masashi Yanagisawa explained.
People who are seeking to improve their digestive help may be interested in taking nutritional supplements that include enzymes which help food break down.