November 11, 2025 • 9 mins
A new study reveals that acetylated cellulose (AceCel), a modified fiber, can alter gut bacteria metabolism in mice, leading to reduced weight gain, improved blood sugar control, and healthier cholesterol levels. AceCel encourages Bacteroides bacteria to consume sugars before the body can absorb them, effectively mimicking the metabolic benefits of a ketogenic diet without drastic dietary changes.
Read the full article at https://www.paperleap.com/blog/articles/how-a-fiber-tricks-gut-bacteria-into-fighting-obesity-0cccuz
Read the full article at https://www.paperleap.com/blog/articles/how-a-fiber-tricks-gut-bacteria-into-fighting-obesity-0cccuz
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to the paper Leap podcast, where a science takes
the mic. Each episode, we discuss cutting edge research, groundbreaking discoveries,
and the incredible people behind them, across disciplines and across
the world. Whether you're a curious mind, a researcher, or
just love learning, you're in the right place. Before we start.
(00:21):
Don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an insight.
All the content is also available on paperleap dot com. Okay, ready,
let's start Deep in the guts microbial metropolis. A quiet
revolution may be underway, one that turns humble dietary fiber
(00:41):
into a biochemical trickster, capable of fooling bacteria into fighting fat.
That's the intriguing idea behind a new study published in
Cell Metabolism by researchers at Reeken, Kyoto University, Gunma University,
and other institutions in Japan. Their research suggests that especially
(01:04):
modified fiber acetylated cellulose or a cell can coax gut
microbes into gobbling up sugars before our bodies can absorb them,
leading to less fat accumulation and healthier metabolism. One might
think that this research is just another fiber is good
for you story, and well, to some extent, it is. However,
(01:27):
it's much more than that. The study focuses on using
clever chemistry to tweak a natural material so that it
delivers acetate, a tiny molecule produced during fermentation, directly to
the far reaches of the intestine. There, acetate supercharges certain microbes,
especially the bacteroidy species, which then feast on sugars that
(01:51):
would otherwise raise our blood sugar and feed fat storage.
In short, acell changes the rules of nutrient availability, shifting
the body toward burning fat instead of carbohydrates. Obesity affects
more than six hundred million people worldwide and drives conditions
like diabetes, heart disease, and fatty liver. While treatments such
(02:15):
as bariatric surgery or new weight loss drugs like GLP
one agonists can be effective, they're expensive and not accessible
to everyone. Lifestyle changes diet and exercise are often hard
to maintain long term. Scientists are searching for safe, affordable,
and sustainable alternatives. One promising strategy is to change the
(02:39):
gut microbiome, that is, the trillions of microbes living in
our intestines that help digest food and influence metabolism. We
already know that certain fibers called prebiotics can nourish beneficial bacteria,
but results are often inconsistent because each person's gut ecosystem
is unique. The Japanese research team wanted to find a
(03:03):
more reliable way to harness gut microbes for metabolic health.
Let's see the science behind a cell. Cellulose is the tough,
fibrous material that makes up plant cell walls. Normally, humans
can't digest it, but the researchers chemically modified cellulose by
attaching acetyl groups tiny chemical tags to it. This version,
(03:27):
called acetylated cellulose or ACELL, travels intact through the upper
gut and releases acetate only when it reaches the large intestine.
Y acetate, it's one of the most common short chain
fatty acids produced by gut microbes during fiber fermentation. Acetate
can influence metabolism, but past studies gave mixed results. Sometimes
(03:52):
it appeared to worsen fat storage, sometimes to improve it.
The key the research team suspected was not just how
much acetate is present, but where in the gut it
shows up and how microbes respond to it. So what
did the experiments show. The team tested acell in both
normal mice and obese mice with a genetic tendency to
(04:15):
gain weight. Across the board, mice fed acell gained significantly
less body mass compared to those on the same diet
without a cell, Their livers stored less fat, their blood
sugar control improved, and their cholesterol levels dropped. Here's the
most interesting part. Acell didn't work in germ free mice
(04:37):
raised without gut microbes. That means its effects weren't just
about acetate acting directly on the body. It depended on
the microbiota. In fact, when the researchers gave a cell
to mice colonized with specific bacteria, especially bacteroid's toyota idomicronon,
the weight suppressing effect returned. Further analysis showed them that
(05:00):
acell fed mice had lower levels of simple sugars like glucose, maltose,
and sucrose in their intestines. At the same time, there
was an increase in fermentation products like seccinic acid and
fumeric acid compounds produced when bacteria break down carbohydrates. This
suggested that ACELL was pushing microbes to burn sugars more
(05:22):
aggressively leaving less fuel for the host. Is it a
microbial ketodiet without giving up carbs? Interestingly, the metabolic changes
in acell fed mice looked a lot like what happens
on a ketogenic diet. The body shifted from burning carbohydrates
to burning fat. Normally, people achieved this by drastically cutting carbs,
(05:45):
but with acell, the diet itself still contained normal amounts
of starch and sugar. The fiber essentially trick the system
by letting good bacteria consume those sugars first. That means
acell could offer a way to mimic the metabol benefits
of carb restriction without the misery of giving up bread, rice,
(06:05):
or fruit. Of course, this was in mice, not humans,
but it's a captivating idea. A big star of the
study was the genus Bacteroides, common gut bacteria that are
very good at breaking down complex carbs. The researchers discovered
that acetate from acell actually boosted the growth and sugar
(06:25):
metabolizing power of Bacteroides. Genes involved in carbohydrate breakdown switched on,
and these microbes flourished. In turn, they consumed more sugars
in the gut, starving the host of quick calories and
nudging metabolism toward fat burning. This is counterintuitive. We often
think of gut bacteria as helping us extract more calories
(06:48):
from food, which can worsen obesity. Here, acell tipped the
balance the other way, using bacteria to block sugar uptake instead.
So could ACELL be the next big anti obesity supplement.
It's too early to say. The study was done in mice,
and human biology is more complex. The gut microbiome differs
(07:11):
widely between individuals, and while acells seem to work consistently
in mice, it's unknown whether the effect will translate to people.
Safety also needs to be tested. Although cellulose is already
widely consumed, chemical modifications can sometimes change how the body reacts. Still,
the idea is powerful. Instead of fighting against our microbiome,
(07:34):
work with it. By feeding bacteria in a carefully designed way,
we can change what nutrients make it into our bloodstream
and how our bodies choose to burn energy. This research
adds to a growing trend of designing precision prebiotics, fibers,
or supplements tailored to produce specific microbial and metabolic outcomes.
(07:57):
It also reinforces the notion that obesity goes well beyond
willpower or calories in. Calories out. Our internal ecosystems play
essential role, and tweaking them might open up entirely new
ways to manage weight and metabolic disease. If a cell
or a similar compound proves safe and effective in humans,
(08:17):
it could represent a cheap, easy to use alternative to
current treatments. Imagine sprinkling a tasteless fiber into your food
and nudging your metabolism toward fat burning without giving up
your favorite meals for now. The message is that with
the right tools, your microbes can become powerful allies in
the fight against obesity. That's it for this episode of
(08:42):
the paper Leaf podcast. If you found it thought provoking, fascinating,
or just informative, share it with the fellow science nerd.
For more research highlights and full articles, visit paperleaf dot com.
Also make sure to subscribe to the podcast. We've got
plenty more discoveries to impact. Until next time, Keep questioning,
(09:03):
keep learning,
Welcome to the paper Leap podcast, where a science takes
the mic. Each episode, we discuss cutting edge research, groundbreaking discoveries,
and the incredible people behind them, across disciplines and across
the world. Whether you're a curious mind, a researcher, or
just love learning, you're in the right place. Before we start.
(00:21):
Don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an insight.
All the content is also available on paperleap dot com. Okay, ready,
let's start Deep in the guts microbial metropolis. A quiet
revolution may be underway, one that turns humble dietary fiber
(00:41):
into a biochemical trickster, capable of fooling bacteria into fighting fat.
That's the intriguing idea behind a new study published in
Cell Metabolism by researchers at Reeken, Kyoto University, Gunma University,
and other institutions in Japan. Their research suggests that especially
(01:04):
modified fiber acetylated cellulose or a cell can coax gut
microbes into gobbling up sugars before our bodies can absorb them,
leading to less fat accumulation and healthier metabolism. One might
think that this research is just another fiber is good
for you story, and well, to some extent, it is. However,
(01:27):
it's much more than that. The study focuses on using
clever chemistry to tweak a natural material so that it
delivers acetate, a tiny molecule produced during fermentation, directly to
the far reaches of the intestine. There, acetate supercharges certain microbes,
especially the bacteroidy species, which then feast on sugars that
(01:51):
would otherwise raise our blood sugar and feed fat storage.
In short, acell changes the rules of nutrient availability, shifting
the body toward burning fat instead of carbohydrates. Obesity affects
more than six hundred million people worldwide and drives conditions
like diabetes, heart disease, and fatty liver. While treatments such
(02:15):
as bariatric surgery or new weight loss drugs like GLP
one agonists can be effective, they're expensive and not accessible
to everyone. Lifestyle changes diet and exercise are often hard
to maintain long term. Scientists are searching for safe, affordable,
and sustainable alternatives. One promising strategy is to change the
(02:39):
gut microbiome, that is, the trillions of microbes living in
our intestines that help digest food and influence metabolism. We
already know that certain fibers called prebiotics can nourish beneficial bacteria,
but results are often inconsistent because each person's gut ecosystem
is unique. The Japanese research team wanted to find a
(03:03):
more reliable way to harness gut microbes for metabolic health.
Let's see the science behind a cell. Cellulose is the tough,
fibrous material that makes up plant cell walls. Normally, humans
can't digest it, but the researchers chemically modified cellulose by
attaching acetyl groups tiny chemical tags to it. This version,
(03:27):
called acetylated cellulose or ACELL, travels intact through the upper
gut and releases acetate only when it reaches the large intestine.
Y acetate, it's one of the most common short chain
fatty acids produced by gut microbes during fiber fermentation. Acetate
can influence metabolism, but past studies gave mixed results. Sometimes
(03:52):
it appeared to worsen fat storage, sometimes to improve it.
The key the research team suspected was not just how
much acetate is present, but where in the gut it
shows up and how microbes respond to it. So what
did the experiments show. The team tested acell in both
normal mice and obese mice with a genetic tendency to
(04:15):
gain weight. Across the board, mice fed acell gained significantly
less body mass compared to those on the same diet
without a cell, Their livers stored less fat, their blood
sugar control improved, and their cholesterol levels dropped. Here's the
most interesting part. Acell didn't work in germ free mice
(04:37):
raised without gut microbes. That means its effects weren't just
about acetate acting directly on the body. It depended on
the microbiota. In fact, when the researchers gave a cell
to mice colonized with specific bacteria, especially bacteroid's toyota idomicronon,
the weight suppressing effect returned. Further analysis showed them that
(05:00):
acell fed mice had lower levels of simple sugars like glucose, maltose,
and sucrose in their intestines. At the same time, there
was an increase in fermentation products like seccinic acid and
fumeric acid compounds produced when bacteria break down carbohydrates. This
suggested that ACELL was pushing microbes to burn sugars more
(05:22):
aggressively leaving less fuel for the host. Is it a
microbial ketodiet without giving up carbs? Interestingly, the metabolic changes
in acell fed mice looked a lot like what happens
on a ketogenic diet. The body shifted from burning carbohydrates
to burning fat. Normally, people achieved this by drastically cutting carbs,
(05:45):
but with acell, the diet itself still contained normal amounts
of starch and sugar. The fiber essentially trick the system
by letting good bacteria consume those sugars first. That means
acell could offer a way to mimic the metabol benefits
of carb restriction without the misery of giving up bread, rice,
(06:05):
or fruit. Of course, this was in mice, not humans,
but it's a captivating idea. A big star of the
study was the genus Bacteroides, common gut bacteria that are
very good at breaking down complex carbs. The researchers discovered
that acetate from acell actually boosted the growth and sugar
(06:25):
metabolizing power of Bacteroides. Genes involved in carbohydrate breakdown switched on,
and these microbes flourished. In turn, they consumed more sugars
in the gut, starving the host of quick calories and
nudging metabolism toward fat burning. This is counterintuitive. We often
think of gut bacteria as helping us extract more calories
(06:48):
from food, which can worsen obesity. Here, acell tipped the
balance the other way, using bacteria to block sugar uptake instead.
So could ACELL be the next big anti obesity supplement.
It's too early to say. The study was done in mice,
and human biology is more complex. The gut microbiome differs
(07:11):
widely between individuals, and while acells seem to work consistently
in mice, it's unknown whether the effect will translate to people.
Safety also needs to be tested. Although cellulose is already
widely consumed, chemical modifications can sometimes change how the body reacts. Still,
the idea is powerful. Instead of fighting against our microbiome,
(07:34):
work with it. By feeding bacteria in a carefully designed way,
we can change what nutrients make it into our bloodstream
and how our bodies choose to burn energy. This research
adds to a growing trend of designing precision prebiotics, fibers,
or supplements tailored to produce specific microbial and metabolic outcomes.
(07:57):
It also reinforces the notion that obesity goes well beyond
willpower or calories in. Calories out. Our internal ecosystems play
essential role, and tweaking them might open up entirely new
ways to manage weight and metabolic disease. If a cell
or a similar compound proves safe and effective in humans,
(08:17):
it could represent a cheap, easy to use alternative to
current treatments. Imagine sprinkling a tasteless fiber into your food
and nudging your metabolism toward fat burning without giving up
your favorite meals for now. The message is that with
the right tools, your microbes can become powerful allies in
the fight against obesity. That's it for this episode of
(08:42):
the paper Leaf podcast. If you found it thought provoking, fascinating,
or just informative, share it with the fellow science nerd.
For more research highlights and full articles, visit paperleaf dot com.
Also make sure to subscribe to the podcast. We've got
plenty more discoveries to impact. Until next time, Keep questioning,
(09:03):
keep learning,
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