Cited by 1,232Gut microbiota and healthOral microbiology and periodontitis researchAdipokines, Inflammation, and Metabolic Diseases

Energy-balance studies reveal associations between gut microbes, caloric load, and nutrient absorption in humans

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Jumpertz, Reiner, Le, Duc Son, Turnbaugh, Peter J, Trinidad, Cathy, Bogardus, Clifton, Gordon, Jeffrey I, Krakoff, Jonathan·2011·The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

Abstract

Background Studies in mice indicate that the gut microbiome influences both sides of the energy-balance equation by contributing to nutrient absorption and regulating host genes that affect adiposity. However, it remains uncertain as to what extent gut microbiota are an important regulator of nutrient absorption in humans.Objective With the use of a carefully monitored inpatient study cohort, we tested how gut bacterial community structure is affected by altering the nutrient load in lean and obese individuals and whether their microbiota are correlated with the efficiency of dietary energy harvest.Design We investigated dynamic changes of gut microbiota during diets that varied in caloric content (2400 compared with 3400 kcal/d) by pyrosequencing bacterial 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes present in the feces of 12 lean and 9 obese individuals and by measuring ingested and stool calories with the use of bomb calorimetry.Results The alteration of the nutrient load induced rapid changes in the gut microbiota. These changes were directly correlated with stool energy loss in lean individuals such that a 20% increase in Firmicutes and a corresponding decrease in Bacteroidetes were associated with an increased energy harvest of ≈150 kcal. A high degree of overfeeding in lean individuals was accompanied by a greater fractional decrease in stool energy loss.Conclusions These results show that the nutrient load is a key variable that can influence the gut (fecal) bacterial community structure over short time scales. Furthermore, the observed associations between gut microbes and nutrient absorption indicate a possible role of the human gut microbiota in the regulation of the nutrient harvest. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT00414063.

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Crossref · 10.3945/ajcn.110.010132

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  • In lean and obese humans, a higher caloric load (3400 vs 2400 kcal/day) was positively correlated with the relative abundance of Firmicutes species and negatively correlated with the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes species.

    “The higher caloric load was positively correlated with the relative abundance of Firmicutes species and negatively correlated with the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes species in both lean and obese humans.”

    From The athletic gut microbiota (2020) · cites this paper as [157]

  • In lean individuals, the changes in gut microbiota associated with higher caloric load were associated with an increased energy harvest of approximately 150 kcal.

    “In lean individuals, these changes were associated with an increased energy harvest of approximately 150 kcal.”

    From The athletic gut microbiota (2020) · cites this paper as [157]

  • Gut microbiota influence metabolic function, including nutrient absorption and amino acid synthesis.

    “their influence on metabolic function (e.g., nutrient absorption and amino acid synthesis) [25]”

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Authors
Jumpertz, R., Le, D. S., Turnbaugh, P. J., Trinidad, C., Bogardus, C., Gordon, J. I., & Krakoff, J.
Affiliations
National Institutes of Health (US)
Venue
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2011-07
Volume
94
Issue
1
Pages
58-65
ISSN
0002-9165 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2102538757
Cited by
1,232
References
35
Citations by year
2026: 38 · 2025: 60 · 2024: 81 · 2023: 91 · 2022: 140 · 2021: 117 · 2020: 119 · 2019: 78 · 2018: 80 · 2017: 71 · 2016: 75 · 2015: 71 · 2014: 80 · 2013: 68 · 2012: 53
FWCI
26.97
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health (GM068763)
  • National Institute of General Medical Sciences (P50GM068763, GM-068763)
  • National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (P01DK078669, DK78669)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Gut microbiota and health
  • Health Sciences › Dentistry › Periodontics › Oral microbiology and periodontitis research
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Adipokines, Inflammation, and Metabolic Diseases
Keywords
gut microbiota, energy balance, nutrient absorption, overfeeding, obesity, lean individuals, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, bacterial community structure, fecal microbiota
MeSH terms
Adult, Bacteria, Energy Intake, Energy Metabolism, Food, Humans, Intestinal Absorption, Male, Middle Aged, Gastrointestinal Tract

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