比利时研究人员发现，益生菌等一些肠道细菌能影响人们的食欲和新陈代谢。人们今后可以通过定期服食特定食品或食品添加剂，通过调节肠道内的细菌种类和数量，达到控制体重的目的。
鲁汶天主教大学的研究人员通过多年的研究发现，某些肠道细菌在肠道里控制着内大麻醇的产生，而内大麻醇可以影响饥饿感和脂肪细胞里脂肪的堆积程度。
研究人员将实验鼠分为两组：一组食物里加入益生菌，另一组则不添加作为对照组。喂养一段时间后，研究人员对两组实验鼠的有关肥胖指标进行分析发现，益生菌影响实验鼠的内大麻醇系统。也就是说，喂食益生菌的实验鼠身体比较“苗条”。
研究人员表示，如果这项实验在人身上得到验证，那么体重超标的人今后只要服用添加肠道细菌的特定食品或食品添加剂，就能达到减肥的目的。（生物谷Bioon.com）
生物谷推荐原文出处：
Molecular Systems Biology doi:10.1038/msb.2010.46
The endocannabinoid system links gut microbiota to adipogenesis
Giulio G Muccioli1,2, Damien Naslain1,3, Fredrik B?ckhed4, Christopher S Reigstad4, Didier M Lambert1,5, Nathalie M Delzenne1,3 & Patrice D Cani1,3
1Louvain Drug Research Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
2Bioanalysis and Pharmacology of Bioactive Lipids laboratory, Brussels, Belgium
3Metabolism and Nutrition research group, Brussels, Belgium
4Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, Sahlgrenska Center for Cardiovascular and Metabolic Research/Wallenberg Laboratory, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
5Medicinal Chemistry, Brussels, Belgium
Obesity is characterised by altered gut microbiota, low-grade inflammation and increased endocannabinoid (eCB) system tone; however, a clear connection between gut microbiota and eCB signalling has yet to be confirmed. Here, we report that gut microbiota modulate the intestinal eCB system tone, which in turn regulates gut permeability and plasma lipopolysaccharide (LPS) levels. The impact of the increased plasma LPS levels and eCB system tone found in obesity on adipose tissue metabolism (e.g. differentiation and lipogenesis) remains unknown. By interfering with the eCB system using CB1 agonist and antagonist in lean and obese mouse models, we found that the eCB system controls gut permeability and adipogenesis. We also show that LPS acts as a master switch to control adipose tissue metabolism both in vivo and ex vivo by blocking cannabinoid-driven adipogenesis. These data indicate that gut microbiota determine adipose tissue physiology through LPS-eCB system regulatory loops and may have critical functions in adipose tissue plasticity during obesity.
