Endocrinology of the Gut and the Regulation of Body Weight and Metabolism

Review
In: Endotext [Internet]. South Dartmouth (MA): MDText.com, Inc.; 2000.
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Excerpt

Obesity prevalence continues to increase globally, leading to ill-health and reduced life expectancy in those affected and an urgent need for effective preventative and therapeutic strategies. Until recently obesity was viewed simplistically as an imbalance between energy expenditure and consumption that could be easily corrected by lifestyle changes. However, obesity is now recognized to be a chronic progressive disease, with bodyweight controlled by a complex interplay between the central nervous system, peripheral signals of energy balance from adipose tissue and the gastrointestinal tract, environmental food cues, and a powerful biological drive to defend the highest weight achieved. Currently, bariatric surgery represents the most effective treatment for people with severe obesity, leading to marked sustained weight loss as a consequence of altered eating behavior with improved health and life expectancy. Bariatric surgical procedures were initially envisaged to limit calorie intake by physically restricting food passage and inducing malabsorption. However, it is now clear that the success of bariatric surgery lies rather in the impact of these procedures on the biological regulation of energy homeostasis. In this review we summarize the complex bi-directional communication system known as the gut-brain axis with special focus on gut hormones, bile acids and gut microbiota. We discuss the impact of obesity, lifestyle interventions and bariatric surgery upon the gut-brain axis. Finally, we discuss the progress being made to pharmacologically mimic the beneficial hormonal milieu of bariatric surgery. For complete coverage of all related areas of Endocrinology, please visit our on-line FREE web-text, WWW.ENDOTEXT.ORG.

Publication types

  • Review