Influence of gut microbiota and manipulation by probiotics and prebiotics on host tissue fat: Potential clinical implications

The gut microbiota is considered as one of the most important environmental factors impacting on host metabolism, contributing to variations in body weight, fat distribution, insulin sensitivity and lipid metabolism. Modification of the gut microbiota by dietary interventions such as probiotics and prebiotics may favourably affect host lipid metabolism. We have shown that microbial metabolism in the gut, and its manipulation by administered microbes can influence fatty acid composition of a number of organs in the host. Furthermore, a prebiotic approach was shown to alter polyunsaturated fatty acids in white adipose tissue. Although a deeper knowledge of the interactions between members of the gut microbiota and fatty acids is needed, nutritional modulation of this complex community may represent a realistic target for modification of host fatty acid composition.