Scientists Spot Which Gut Germs Trigger Compulsive Eating [Video]

Key Takeaways

Gut bacteria might be linked to compulsive eatingCertain bacteria are higher or lower in mice and humans with food addictionIncreasing levels of certain bacteria curbed food addiction in mice

FRIDAY, June 28, 2024 (HealthDay News) — Specific types of gut bacteria appear to be linked to compulsive eating, a new study reports.

Researchers found that one type of gut bacteria — the Proteobacteria family — is abundant in people and mice with an addiction to food.

Other types of gut bacteria are decreased in food-addicted people and mice, including Blautia bacteria and bacteria belonging to the Actinobacteria family, researchers say.

What’s more, food addiction decreased in mice when they were fed prebiotics that caused Blautia levels in the gut to rise, said researcher Elena Martin-Garcia, a professor of medicine and life sciences at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona.

These results suggest the “potential protective effects of increasing the abundance of …