Anorexia, Gut Microbiota Could Promote Disorder

Anorexia is written in the intestinal microbiota, the complex of microorganisms found in the organ: anorexic patients differ in the composition of their microbiota.

This was revealed by a study in Nature Microbiology conducted at the University of Copenhagen. From the work it also emerged that by transplanting the intestinal microbiota of anorexic patients into mice, these acquire some of the typical traits of anorexia.

It is therefore possible that imbalances or changes in the composition of intestinal bacteria and viruses can directly influence the development of anorexia nervosa.

Anorexia nervosa isn't just about wanting to be thin—it's a complex mental disorder that changes the way your brain regulates your appetite and how you feel about your body.

People with anorexia nervosa radically reduce their calorie intake.

The study involved 77 Danish girls and young women with anorexia nervosa and 70 healthy female peers.

The authors found that anorexic patients had a gut microbiota with a greater ability to influence mood and higher concentrations of satiety-inducing molecules than the control group.

Furthermore, patients with anorexia had an altered intestinal composition and a disturbed interaction between intestinal viruses and bacteria.

When fecal samples from the patients were transplanted into mice lacking a gut microbiota, the authors found that the gut microbiota reduced the animals' weight gain and altered the expression of genes involved in controlling appetite and energy expenditure.

The authors conclude that the gut microbiota may contribute in part to the development of anorexia nervosa.