In recent years, drugs like Ozempic have drawn attention for their effectiveness in weight loss and glycemic control by mimicking the natural hormone GLP-1 produced in the intestine. However, the side effects and high costs are prompting researchers to seek safer and more affordable alternatives.
A recent study suggests that the answer could be right inside our bodies: intestinal microbes and the compounds they produce could trigger the natural production of GLP-1, offering a „natural Ozempic” without medication.
Enteroendocrine cells (EECs) in the intestine are responsible for producing natural GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1), and recent research has suggested that a reduced number of EECs and low GLP-1 production could contribute to the onset of obesity, as noted by Science Alert.
Using tests on rats and on mini-intestines cultivated in the laboratory (known as organoids), researchers from Marshall University in the USA have confirmed the link between a reduced number of EECs and obesity - and have found a way to prompt the intestine to compensate for their absence.
"This indicates a potential therapeutic strategy that leverages intestinal microbes to improve metabolic outcomes in obesity," says biochemist Alip Borthakur from the Department of Clinical and Translational Sciences at Marshall University.
Researchers turned to supplements with the amino acid tryptophan to address the EEC issue. Tryptophan was already known for its role in maintaining intestinal health, partly due to a metabolite (a biological byproduct) called indole.
The team demonstrated that tryptophan and indole can form a "production chain" that generates new EEC cells and, thus, more GLP-1. In other words, it promotes a more natural way to achieve the same effect as a dose of Ozempic.
Tryptophan is found in foods such as poultry, eggs, cheese, and certain seeds, and the idea is that dietary supplements or probiotics could be used to introduce the amino acid into the intestine and trigger the necessary chemical reaction.
"Our results suggest that microbial metabolites derived from dietary tryptophan can reverse the reduction in hormone-secreting intestinal cells associated with obesity," says Borthakur.
Researchers have also identified a specific cellular receptor - the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) - through which this process occurs. This provides a clear target for future treatments.
In recent years, other research teams have found ways to modify intestinal bacteria and adapt diets to increase GLP-1 production.
The next step is to confirm, through future studies, these results in humans.
C.S.