Gut Microbiome and Bariatric Surgery

Bariatric surgery remains the most effective therapeutic mode of achieving sustainable weight loss and modulation of obesity-related comorbidities. It was traditionally understood that surgical alterations in gut anatomy result in physical caloric restriction and nutrient malabsorption; however, these may not be the only means to weight loss and metabolic success. A more complex mechanism is thought to be at play. The role of the human gut microbiota may offer an additional explanation in the modulation of metabolism and disease pathology following bariatric surgery.