Diabetes and gut microbiota

World J Diabetes. 2021 Oct 15;12(10):1693-1703. doi: 10.4239/wjd.v12.i10.1693.

Abstract

The prevalence of diabetes has increased rapidly throughout the world in recent years. Currently, approximately 463 million people are living with diabetes, and the number has tripled over the last two decades. Here, we describe the global epidemiology of diabetes in 2019 and forecast the trends to 2030 and 2045 in China, India, USA, and the globally. The gut microbiota plays a major role in metabolic diseases, especially diabetes. In this review, we describe the interaction between diabetes and gut microbiota in three aspects: probiotics, antidiabetic medication, and diet. Recent findings indicate that probiotics, antidiabetic medications, or dietary interventions treat diabetes by shifting the gut microbiome, particularly by raising beneficial bacteria and reducing harmful bacteria. We conclude that targeting the gut microbiota is becoming a novel therapeutic strategy for diabetes.

Keywords: Anti-diabetic medication; Diabetes; Diet; Epidemiology; Gut microbiota; Probiotics.

Publication types

  • Review