Abstract
Gut microbiota encompasses a wide variety of commensal microorganisms consisting of trillions of bacteria, fungi, and viruses. This microbial population coexists in symbiosis with the host, and related metabolites have profound effects on human health. In this respect, gut microbiota plays a pivotal role in the regulation of metabolic, endocrine, and immune functions. Bacterial metabolites include the short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) acetate (C2), propionate (C3), and butyrate (C4), which are the most abundant SCFAs in the human body and the most abundant anions in the colon. SCFAs are made from fermentation of dietary fiber and resistant starch in the gut. They modulate several metabolic pathways and are involved in obesity, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes. Thus, diet might influence gut microbiota composition and activity, SCFAs production, and metabolic effects. In this narrative review, we discuss the relevant research focusing on the relationship between gut microbiota, SCFAs, and glucose metabolism.
Highlights
The gastrointestinal tract hosts a large interface between the external environment and the human body
In this narrative review, we explored the scientific literature by PubMed analysis (PubMed), scanning for international papers in English language exploring the relationships between gut microbiota, short chain fatty acids (SCFAs), and glucose metabolism, including pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes (T2D)
SCFAs, in turn, produce effects both at the local intestinal level and at a systemic level, acting through epigenetic mechanisms and via interaction with several receptors and tissues involved in the maintenance of glucose homeostasis, in pre-diabetes and in T2DM
Summary
The gastrointestinal tract hosts a large interface between the external environment and the human body. With the worldwide increasing burden of diseases involving glucose homeostasis and insulin resistance (including pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes—T2D), the knowledge about the relationships between gut microbiota-generated SCFAs and glucose homeostasis can offer new tools for clinical management and prevention. In this regard, in this review we assessed the latest evidence linking SCFAs with host metabolic health with special focus on the interplay between intestinal microbiota, dietary fiber, generation of SCFAs from fiber, and the effect of SCFAs on glucose homeostasis, as confirmed by clinical studies
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