Jet lag can cause obesity by disrupting the daily rhythms of gut microbes

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2014-10/cp-jlc100814.php

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE: 16-Oct-2014

Contact: Mary Beth O'Leary
Cell Press
Jet lag can cause obesity by disrupting the daily rhythms of gut microbes

Organisms ranging from bacteria to humans have circadian clocks to help them synchronize their biological activities to the time of day. A study published by Cell Press October 16th in Cell now reveals that gut microbes in mice and humans have circadian rhythms that are controlled by the biological clock of the host in which they reside. Disruption of the circadian clock in the host alters the rhythms and composition of the microbial community, leading to obesity and metabolic problems.

"These findings provide an explanation for a long-standing and mysterious observation, namely that people with chronically disturbed day-night cycles due to repetitive jet lag or shift work have a tendency to develop obesity and other metabolic complications," says senior study author Eran Elinav of the Weizmann Institute of Science. "These surprising findings may enable us to devise preventive treatments for these people to lower their risk for these complications."

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