Probiotic supplements have been shown to improve metabolism by increasing host insulin sensitivity, selleck cholesterol metabolism and also have a beneficial effect on the immune system. This discussion paper examines the evidence for the influence of the gut microbiome on host metabolism and the potential metabolic impact of probiotic supplementation, with particular regard for the evidence surrounding a possible use of probiotic supplements for the prevention of gestational diabetes. Probiotics offer the tantalising possibility of a feasible intervention for the prevention of gestational diabetes and improvement of metabolic syndromes, but there is a pressing need for further studies of the mechanisms underlying the apparent metabolic benefits and for the use of randomised controlled trials to allow examination of the effectiveness of probiotic supplementation in this setting.

Rosiglitazone often results in weight gain. We hypothesized that rosiglitazone may Inhibitors,Modulators,Libraries modulate circulating levels of ghrelin and peptide YY3-36 and this modulation may be related to weight-gaining effect Inhibitors,Modulators,Libraries of this agent. This study was designed as an open-label, randomized, controlled trial of 3-month duration. Women with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes Inhibitors,Modulators,Libraries were studied. Twenty-eight of the 55 eligible participants were randomly assigned to receive rosiglitazone (4 mg/d). Twenty-seven patients with diabetes matched for age and body mass index served as controls on diet alone. We evaluated the effects of 3 months of rosiglitazone treatment on fasting peptide YY3-36 and ghrelin levels, and anthropometric measurements.

The 3-month administration of rosiglitazone reduced fasting plasma peptide YY3-36 levels by 25%, the between-group difference was statistically Inhibitors,Modulators,Libraries significant. No effect of this thiazolidinedione compound on fasting ghrelin concentrations was observed at the end of study. The ghrelin/body mass index ratio also did not change significantly after treatment. Seventy-five percent of the women with diabetes complained of increased hunger at the end of study. Nevertheless, Inhibitors,Modulators,Libraries all subjects exhibited a decrease in fasting PYY levels after 3 months of rosiglitazone therapy, irrespective of the levels of hunger. There was no significant correlation between changes in peptide YY3-36 and those in anthropometric parameters and insulin sensitivity at the end of the study. Rosiglitazone-induced decrease in fasting peptide YY3-36 levels get more information may in part contribute to orexigenic and weight-gaining effect of this thiazolidinedione derivative.