Modulation of Gut Microbiota in Type 2 Diabetes: Emerging Therapeutic Strategies

Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) is a long-term metabolic illness that makes it hard for the body to use insulin, causes low-grade inflammation, and makes it hard for the body to use glucose. While traditional treatments target insulin and glucose control, recent studies highlight the gut microbiota as a key regulator of metabolic health. Dysbiosis—an imbalance in gut microbial composition—has been linked to increased intestinal permeability, systemic inflammation, and altered production of microbial metabolites like SCFAs, LPS, and bile acids. These changes disrupt insulin signaling and glucose homeostasis. This review discusses the gut microbiota’s role in T2D and emerging therapies such as probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, FMT, and microbiota-modulating drugs like metformin.