Targeting the Gut Microbiome to Treat Cardiometabolic Disease

Curr Atheroscler Rep. 2024 Feb;26(2):25-34. doi: 10.1007/s11883-023-01183-2. Epub 2024 Jan 5.

Abstract

Purpose of review: Cardiometabolic diseases, which include obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases, constitute a worldwide health crisis of unparalleled proportions. The human gut microbiota has emerged as a prominent topic of inquiry in the search for novel treatment techniques. This review summarizes current research on the potential of addressing the gut microbiota to treat cardiometabolic disease.

Recent findings: Recent studies have highlighted a complex link between the gut microbiota and host physiology, shedding light on the several processes through which gut microorganisms impact metabolic health, inflammation, and cardiovascular function. Furthermore, a growing corpus of research is available on microbiome-based therapies such as dietary interventions, probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, and fecal microbiota transplantation. These therapies show promise as methods for reshaping the gut microbiota and, as a result, improving cardiometabolic outcomes. However, hurdles remain, ranging from the intricacies of microbiome research to the necessity for tailored treatments that take individual microbial variations into consideration, emphasizing the significance of furthering research to bridge the gap between microbiome science and clinical practice. The gut microbiome is a beacon of hope for improving the management of cardiometabolic disease in the age of precision medicine, since its association with their pathophysiology is constantly being unraveled and strengthened. Available studies point to the potential of gut microbiome-based therapeutics, which remains to be tested in appropriately designed clinical trials. Further preclinical research is, however, essential to provide answers to the existing obstacles, with the ultimate goal of enhancing patient care.

Keywords: Cardiovascular disease; Gut microbiome; Metabolic syndrome; Probiotics.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Cardiovascular Diseases* / therapy
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2* / therapy
  • Gastrointestinal Microbiome* / physiology
  • Humans
  • Prebiotics
  • Probiotics* / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Prebiotics