Chain length‐dependent inulin alleviates diet‐induced obesity and metabolic disorders in mice

Abstract

Dietary fiber is regarded to improve host metabolic disorders through modulating gut microbiota. The study was to investigate the effects of inulin with different degree of polymerization (DP) on adiposity, related metabolic syndrome, and the possible mechanisms from the points of gut microbiota and metabolite changes. C57Bl/6J male mice were randomly allocated to normal diet (ND) group, high‐fat diet (HFD) group, two HFD groups with short‐chain inulin (HFD‐S) and medium and long‐chain inulin (HFD‐ML) for 8 weeks. Compared with HFD treatment, ML‐inulin supplementation significantly decreased weight gain, hepatic steatosis, chronic inflammation, and increased insulin sensitivity, energy expenditure and thermogenesis. This could be mimicked by S‐inulin supplementation to some degree although it is not as effective as ML inulin. Also, mice treated with S and ML inulin had a remarkable alternation in the composition of gut microbiota and increased the production of short‐chain fatty acids (SCFAs). However, reduced serum levels of essential fatty acids, vitamins B1 and B3 by HFD were further decreased by both inulin supplementations. ML inulin can prevent HFD‐induced obesity and the associated metabolic disorders, and may be used as novel gut microbiota modulator to prevent HFD‐induced gut dysbiosis and metabolic disorders.

Inulin reduces visceral adipose tissue mass and improves glucose tolerance through altering gut metabolites

“…As mentioned above, inulin produces SCFAs, succinic acid, and lactic acid via gut microbiota [ 3 , 22 , 23 ]. Consistent with previous reports [ 12 ], bacterial fermentation in the intestine increased the content of fecal SCFAs in the inulin group. There was a significant increase in the content of postprandial portal vein plasma succinic acid and SCFAs in the inulin group.…”

“…Moreover, it has been shown that inulin supplementation exerts a prebiotic anti-obesity, such as the improvement of obesity, blood glucose level, and lipid metabolism. Previous reports have revealed the effect of inulin supplementation on glucose and lipid metabolism in genetically obese mice [ 11 ], or wild-type mice [ 12 , 13 ] or rats [ 14 ] after induction of dietary obesity. Human studies [ 15 , 16 ] have also shown that inulin intake improves glycolipid metabolism, as it is fermented into SCFAs by gut microbiota in the situation of energy excess due to the high-fat and high-sucrose diet (HFHSD), or in the presence of glucose intolerance or obesity.…”

Intervention time modified the effect of inulin on high‐fat diet‐induced obesity and gut microbial disorders

“…In experimental animals as well as humans, inulin supplementation has been shown to improve gut ecosystem and reduce the risk of obesity and other metabolic diseases (Li et al., 2021; Reynolds et al., 2019b; Rodriguez, Neyrinck, et al., 2022). This study explored the effect of intervention time of inulin on HFD‐induced obesity in mice.…”

Inulin: properties and health benefits

“…At the same time, medium- and long-chain inulin is regarded as a potential weight loss substance. 93 Additionally, characterizing the microbial composition of obese patients prior to inulin intervention is highly desirable and has a positive impact on subsequent treatment and disease prevention. 94 Therefore, personalized dietary supplements need to be designed for different obese individuals in order to achieve weight loss and maintain physical health.…”