Toxins leaking from the gut ‘are damaging fat cells and driving weight gain’
The IndependentThe best of Voices delivered to your inbox every week - from controversial columns to expert analysis Sign up for our free weekly Voices newsletter for expert opinion and columns Sign up to our free weekly Voices newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Fragments of bacteria leaking into the body from the gut are damaging fat cells and driving weight gain, research suggests. Lead researcher Professor Mark Christian, of Nottingham Trent University’s school of science and technology, said: “Gut microbe fragments that enter the blood stream reduce normal fat cell function and their metabolic activity, which is exacerbated with weight gain, contributing to increased diabetes risk. “It appears that as we gain weight, our fat stores are less able to limit the damage that gut microbe fragments may cause to fat cells. “Endotoxin from the gut reduces fat cell metabolic activity and its ability to become ‘brown-like fat cells’ that can be useful to help lose weight.