{"id":17634,"date":"2025-08-21T10:00:14","date_gmt":"2025-08-21T14:00:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/okdiario.com\/metabolic\/en\/?p=17634"},"modified":"2025-08-21T10:00:14","modified_gmt":"2025-08-21T14:00:14","slug":"blocking-gut-bacterias-hidden-fuel-might-improve-blood-sugar-levels-and-lower-liver-damage-study-says","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/okdiario.com\/metabolic\/en\/health\/blocking-gut-bacterias-hidden-fuel-might-improve-blood-sugar-levels-and-lower-liver-damage-study-says-17634\/","title":{"rendered":"Blocking gut bacteria’s hidden fuel might improve blood sugar levels and lower liver damage, study says"},"content":{"rendered":"

A team of Canadian scientists has found that trapping a little-known fuel made by gut bacteria could help control blood sugar<\/strong><\/a> and protect the liver. The discovery points to a surprising link between the microbiome and serious metabolic diseases<\/strong>, including type 2 diabetes and fatty liver disease.<\/p>\n

The research<\/strong><\/a>, led by McMaster University in collaboration with Universit\u00e9 Laval and the University of Ottawa, shows how a molecule from gut microbes can enter the bloodstream, pushing the liver to produce excess glucose and fat. Here, we’ll look at how this fuel source works, what happens when it is blocked, and why the findings could shape future treatments for chronic conditions<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

How blocking this gut fuel works<\/h2>\n

The study, published in Cell Metabolism, builds on decades of research into the Cori cycle<\/strong>, a process discovered by Nobel Prize winners Carl and Gerty Cori that explains how muscles and the liver exchange fuel. Traditionally, this cycle focuses on L-lactate, produced by muscles, which the liver converts to glucose for energy.<\/p>\n

The Canadian team uncovered another branch of this pathway involving D-lactate<\/strong>, a similar molecule but mostly produced by gut bacteria. In people with obesity, D-lactate levels were found to be unusually high. Unlike muscle-produced L-lactate, this gut-derived version appears to spike blood sugar and increase liver fat more aggressively.<\/p>\n

To counter this, researchers developed what they call a “gut substrate trap”<\/strong>, a biodegradable polymer designed to bind to D-lactate in the intestines. Once bound, the molecule cannot enter the bloodstream. In mouse experiments, this led to lower blood glucose, reduced insulin resistance, and less liver inflammation and scarring<\/strong>, all without changes in diet or weight.<\/p>\n

Jonathan Schertzer, senior author and professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences at McMaster, explained: “Instead of targeting hormones or the liver directly, we’re intercepting a microbial fuel source before it can do harm<\/strong>“.<\/p>\n

How does this research impact future treatments<\/h2>\n

This discovery adds to growing evidence that the microbiome plays a major role in metabolic diseases<\/strong>. If further research confirms the same results in humans, blocking D-lactate could become a new strategy for managing conditions that currently rely on controlling hormones, diet, or weight loss<\/strong><\/a>. Potential implications of the study include:<\/p>\n