Bariatric surgery is an effective treatment for obesity and type 2 diabetes, but patient outcomes vary widely. In our study, published in Nature Metabolism, we describe that the variations are partly explained by differences in how the composition of gut bacteria changes after surgery.

By analyzing gut microbiota before and after the most common procedures, gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy, the study identifies microbial features associated with improved glucose metabolism and tracks changes in glycemic control for up to five years post-surgery.

More specifically, the study shows that changes in gut bacterial composition and function, and not just weight loss, are associated with important metabolic improvements, including insulin release and blood sugar control.

To the article in Nature Metabolism