Long considered a simple auxiliary of digestion, the intestinal microbiota is gradually imposed as a key player in metabolic balance. By orchestrating a series of reactions between intestine, liver and brain, some of its bacteria directly influence our relationship to sugar. A recent discovery highlights the role of an intestinal microbe capable of triggering a hormonal chain reaction with powerful effects on the control of blood sugar, thus revealing a promising track to naturally regulate sugar -related disorders.
Among them, GLP-1, a hormone naturally produced by the intestine, modulates blood sugar and regulates the feeling of hunger. Drugs like Ozempic imitate this molecule to treat diabetes and promote weight loss. But instead of mimicking this hormone, and if one managed to stimulate your secretion in a natural way?
According to a study published in Nature Microbiology, researchers have discovered that a hepatic hormone, FGF21, strongly involved in the regulation of sugar consumption, could be activated by the natural production of GLP-1, itself influenced by certain intestinal bacteria.
How an intestinal bacteria influences blood sugar control
The vulgar bacteroides microbe, naturally present in the human intestine, seems to play a decisive role in this hormonal cascade. By producing a molecule called pantothenate (or pantothenic acid), this bacteria promotes the release of GLP-1, which in turn triggers the production of FGF21 by the liver. This process slows down sugar attraction and improves glucose metabolism.
Experiments carried out on diabetic mice revealed that the administration of pantothenate made it possible to reduce their blood sugar on an empty stomach and their desires of sugar. These results are explained by interaction with the FFAR4 receptor, an intestinal protein, the expression of which is often reduced in diabetic patients.
The study by the Shenglong Zhu team also analyzed the blood and faecal samples of 60 patients with type 2 diabetes, as well as those of 24 healthy people. The researchers found that the drop in FFAR4 was going hand in hand with a decrease in the population of B. Vopptus and an increased preference for sweet foods, as indicated by News Medical in its synthesis.
A track to treat diabetes without chemical drugs
The results obtained on animals have aroused interest in a transposition in humans. Especially since previous work had already shown that the genetic variants of FGF21 in some people increased their sugar consumption by almost 20%. These data reinforce the idea that a modulation of the microbiota could restore a form of metabolic balance without resorting to heavy treatments.
Today, GLP-1-like drugs and semaglutide have changed the situation for millions of patients, but they remain expensive and can cause side effects. An approach based on targeted activation of the microbiota, in particular via specific probiotics or enriched supplements in pantothenate, opens a potentially softer, durable and accessible alternative.
The researchers therefore insist that this discovery could lead to diabetes prevention strategies, through a better understanding of the symbiosis between our diet, our genes and our intestinal bacteria. This therapeutic path is not based on a substitution, but on a restoration of the natural capacities of the body to regulate its blood sugar.
