Gut Microbiota and Host Metabolism: A Biochemical Perspective

Abstract

The gut contains a huge and complex population of microorganisms, the gut microbiota, which have a powerful biochemical effect on host metabolism. In this review, the authors discuss the possible mechanistic pathways of gut microbes that interact with host metabolic pathways, particularly key microbial metabolic products such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), bile acid derivatives, branched-chain amino acid catabolites, tryptophan metabolites, and trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO). This bidirectional dialogue between the microbiota and host tissues, such as the liver, adipose tissue, intestinal epithelium and central nervous system, is explored. Dysbiosis-related metabolic diseases including obesity, type 2 diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and metabolic syndrome are given special attention. Insurgencies in the treatment of Dysbiosis with prebiotics, probiotics, symbiotic, fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) and precision nutrition are discussed critically. Overall, a full picture of host–microbiota metabolic crosstalk could provide new opportunities for disease markers and targets.

Keywords: Gut microbiota, host metabolism, SCFAs, dysbiosis, bile acids, TMAO, metabolic syndrome, microbiome–liver axis