Researchers may be able to address the persistent problem of obesity with the aid of this important discovery. Their findings suggest a novel approach to managing obesity by showing that intermittent calorie restriction can alter gut and brain physiology. This breakthrough may lead to new strategies for optimal weight control, offering promising avenues for tackling obesity more effectively.

Chinese scientists carried out an intermittent energy restriction (IER) program, which included calorie restriction and occasional fasting. It involves spending 62 days watching 25 obese participants. It was reported that the individuals shed around 7.6 kg, or 7.8%, of their total body weight. There was also evidence of altered brain activity in areas linked to obesity and the development of gut flora.

Scientist Qiang Zeng of the National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Diseases and the Second Medical Center in China stated, "Here we show that an IER diet changes the human brain-gut-microbiome axis," as reported by Science Alert. December 2023 saw the publication of the findings in Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology.

novel approach to managing obesity
Image Source: Frontiers

“The observed changes in the gut microbiome and in the activity in addiction-related brain regions during and after weight loss are highly dynamic and coupled over time."

The cause of these alterations is unknown, but given the intimate relationship between the stomach and the brain, treating particular brain areas may help regulate food intake. The inferior frontal orbital gyrus and other brain areas related to eating and addiction were shown to have changed by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies. By examining blood and stool samples, variations in the gut microbiota associated with comparable brain activity were also observed.

"The gut microbiome is thought to communicate with the brain in a complex, two-directional way," said Xiaoning Wang, medical scientist from the State Clinic Center for Geriatrics, China.

"The microbiome produces neurotransmitters and neurotoxins, which access the brain through nerves and the blood circulation. In return, the brain controls eating behaviour, while nutrients from our diet change the composition of the gut microbiome."

There are over a billion obese individuals in the world, and obesity significantly raises the risk of heart disease and cancer, among other serious health problems. Treatment and prevention of obesity may alter dramatically as a result of a better understanding of the relationship between the stomach and the brain.

"The next question to be answered is the precise mechanism by which the gut microbiome and the brain communicate in obese people, including during weight loss," said Liming Wang, a biomedical scientist from the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

"What specific gut microbiome and brain regions are critical for successful weight loss and maintaining a healthy weight?"

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