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Gut Microbiota and Obesity: Nutritional Regulation, Metabolic Mechanisms

A Special Issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643) belonging to the section "Nutrition and Obesity".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 January 2027 | Viewed by 3110

Editor

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Based on the success of the first volume, we are launching the second edition of the Special Issue "Gut Microbiota and Obesity: Nutritional Regulation, Metabolic Mechanisms".

In recent decades, human gut microbiota has been shown to be a key agent in the prevention and development of numerous metabolic pathologies, including obesity. Although obesity is a complex and multifactorial pathology, the different environmental factors capable of influencing host metabolism and energy balance are considered key players, and gut microbiota can effect them. Gut microbiota exerts a miscellany of protective, structural, and metabolic effects on both intestinal and peripheral tissues, thus affecting body weight by modulating metabolism, appetite, as well as hormonal and immune systems.

However, the precise impact of gut microbiota and nutrients on gut metabolites and its subsequent influence on susceptibility to obesity remains uncertain.

In this Special Issue of Nutrients, we extend an invite to the scientific community to submit their latest advances in the knowledge of the complex interactions between gut microbiota and obesity. Manuscripts describing the effects of bioactive compounds as well as food ingredients and nutrients on the different microbial populations in the human gut are welcome. Furthermore, the effects of eubiosis-altering agents, as well as dysbiosis-correcting agents—such as prebiotics, probiotics, symbiotics, or postbiotics—are of great interest for this Special Issue.

Research articles and reviews focused on the following topics are of particular interest to this Special Issue:

  • Food components (macro- and micronutrients) that can alter, both beneficially and detrimentally, human intestinal microbiota.
  • Nutritional strategies, including the use of prebiotics, probiotics, postbiotics, and dietary bioactive compounds, in restoring gut microbiota balance.
  • The role of gut microbiota and dietary modulation in maintaining overall human health and preventing obesity.
  • Effects of gut microbiota metabolites on the development of obesity.

Dr. Jose M. Miranda
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Nutrients is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • gut microbiota
  • prebiotic
  • probiotic
  • symbiotic
  • postbiotic
  • metabolic diseases
  • gut virome
  • gut mycobione
  • bioactive compounds
  • gut metabolites

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 2880 KB  
Article
Does Intrarectal Administration of Christensenella minuta DSM22607 Impact Body Weight?
by Dorottya Zsálig, Ádám Molnár, Monika Kerényi, Fruzsina Péter, Gellért Gerencsér and Éva Polyák
Nutrients 2026, 18(10), 1593; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18101593 - 17 May 2026
Viewed by 721
Abstract
Background: Christensenella minuta (C. minuta) is a promising next-generation probiotic linked to reduced body weight, inhibition of obesogenic processes, and enhanced metabolic profiles. However, the extent and persistence of these effects, particularly under varying dietary conditions, remain uncertain. Objective: This study [...] Read more.
Background: Christensenella minuta (C. minuta) is a promising next-generation probiotic linked to reduced body weight, inhibition of obesogenic processes, and enhanced metabolic profiles. However, the extent and persistence of these effects, particularly under varying dietary conditions, remain uncertain. Objective: This study aimed to examine the effects of intrarectal administration of C. minuta on body weight regulation in vivo under different dietary patterns, with or without antibiotic pretreatment, both during the intervention and over the long term. Particular emphasis was placed on exploring the interactions between C. minuta supplementation, dietary background, caloric intake, and body weight gain. Methods: A total of 180 CD1 mice (both sexes equally) were allocated into nine experimental groups based on diet, with and without C. minuta supplementation, and with and without antibiotic pretreatment. The bacterial suspension was administered intrarectally once a week for three consecutive weeks in the treatment groups. Body weight was monitored weekly, and food intake was recorded biweekly over the 12-week study period. Visceral fat mass was measured postmortem. Results: Groups treated with C. minuta with antibiotic pretreatment exhibited significantly lower body weight gain than the control groups during the intervention phase in both sexes, irrespective of caloric intake and dietary pattern, indicating that the reduced weight gain was attributable to the effect of C. minuta. Regarding long-term effects following the cessation of administration, sexual dimorphism was observed: while no lasting impact was found in males, the body weight gain inhibiting effect of C. minuta treatment persisted in females. Furthermore, females treated with C. minuta exhibited the lowest levels of visceral fat among all groups. Caloric intake was not significantly associated with body weight gain at any time point in this study. Conclusions: C. minuta exerts a transient, caloric intake-independent inhibitory effect on body weight gain. The absence of sustained effects highlights the necessity for continuous or optimized administration protocols to ensure the attainment of long-term benefits in the future. The results of this study support the hypothesis that C. minuta can act as a modulator of host metabolism and body composition, underscoring the significance of treatment duration in this process. Full article
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Review

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25 pages, 1765 KB  
Review
Anti-Obesogenic Effects of Culinary Herbs Through Modulation of Inflammation and Metabolic Pathways
by Anna Winiarska, Agnieszka Tomczyk-Warunek, Karolina Jachimowicz-Rogowska, Małgorzata Kwiecień, Tomasz Czernecki, Magdalena Lis and Waldemar Kazimierczak
Nutrients 2026, 18(6), 993; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18060993 - 20 Mar 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1799
Abstract
Obesity is considered a chronic disease that co-occurs with other disorders, including type 2 diabetes; therefore, the prevention and treatment of obesity are of utmost importance. The present review analysed the effects of bioactive compounds found in culinary herbs on the regulation of [...] Read more.
Obesity is considered a chronic disease that co-occurs with other disorders, including type 2 diabetes; therefore, the prevention and treatment of obesity are of utmost importance. The present review analysed the effects of bioactive compounds found in culinary herbs on the regulation of inflammatory processes through the modulation of inflammation and microbiota-dependent metabolic pathways. A total of 137 publications from 2010 to 2025 were reviewed. Few studies address the impact of culinary herbs on the gut microbiota in relation to obesity; however, analysing data on the effects of active compounds present in various herbs allows an assessment of their potential role in obesity prevention. This is a significant issue, as obesity is widespread, and the introduction of readily usable everyday food products may represent an important element of preventive strategies. Plant secondary metabolites, such as polyphenols, saponins, alkaloids, and flavonoids, exert strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity, thus contributing to their beneficial effects on human health. Effective weight loss depends on the consistent maintenance of a healthy lifestyle, a requirement that can often be highly challenging. The daily use of herbs in meal preparation may reduce the risk of developing obesity or mitigate its severity. Herbs enhance the flavour of dishes and, additionally, help to reduce salt intake, thereby lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease, which is also an integral component of a healthy lifestyle. Full article
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