A study by Pompeu Fabra University and the Girona Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBGI) has identified a relationship between the composition of the gut microbiota and a person’s predisposition to develop a food addiction. It also identifies the beneficial role of a bacterium called Blautia, which may help prevent addiction. The article was published in the journal Gut and provides a better understanding of the link between this behavioral disorder and gut microbiota. It also paves the way for future treatments for this addiction and related eating disorders, based on beneficial microbes, which could include the development of dietary supplements.
Food addiction is a disorder characterized by a loss of control over food intake and may lead to obesity and disrupt the gut microbiota. In this study, published in Gut, the research team analyzed whether the composition of gut microbiota might play a role in the mechanisms of food addiction.
The study found that certain types of bacteria, known as Proteobacteria, are associated with the development of this disorder. Conversely, the presence of another type of bacteria, Actinobacteria, appears to have protective effects against food addiction. Additionally, the study describes the beneficial role of a bacterial species, Blautia wexlerae, which tends to be scarce in the microbiota of people and mice with food addiction. When substances promoting the growth of Blautia in the gut were administered, food addiction improved. These findings were consistent in both humans and mice.
UPF professor and co-author of the study, Rafael Maldonado, highlighted that “our results reveal changes in gut microbiota that could be used in the future as biomarkers for the predisposition to food addiction, as well as certain prebiotics that could be studied as dietary supplements for the treatment of these eating disorders.”
“Our animal model has a high translational value and could allow the evaluation of these new potential therapeutic strategies for the treatment of food addiction and associated emotional and eating disorders,” adds Elena Martín-García, professor at Pompeu Fabra University.
El catedràtic de la Universitat de Girona, cap de grup de l’IDIBGI i el CIBERObn i coautor de l’estudi, Dr. José Manuel Fernández-Real, i el Dr. Jordi Mayneris-Perxachs, cap de grup de l’IDIBGI i co-primer autor de l’estudi,remarquen: “És fascinant que es pugui constatar que en persones amb obesitat i criteris d’addició al menjar es trobin alteracions a la microbiota intestinal que després es confirmen a models animals”. El Dr. Fernández-Real també és cap de secció d’Endocrinologia de l’Hospital Trueta.
Professor at the University of Girona, head of the IDIBGI and CIBERObn research groups, and study co-author Dr. José Manuel Fernández-Real, along with Dr. Jordi Mayneris-Perxachs, head of the IDIBGI group and co-first author of the study, remark: “It’s fascinating to see that people with obesity and food addiction criteria show gut microbiota alterations that are then confirmed in animal models.” Dr. Fernández-Real is also head of the Endocrinology section at Trueta Hospital.
Reference article: Samulėnaitė S, García-Blanco A, Mayneris-Perxachs J, et al. Gut microbiota signatures of vulnerability to food addiction in mice and humans. Gut 2024;73:1799-1815.
