An August 2019 study by Toronto General Hospital Research Institute and the Department of Pathology at University Health Network found that,
“during obesity, there are lower levels of a type of B cell in the gut that make an antibody called IgA [which] is naturally produced by our bodies and is crucial to regulating the bacteria that live in our gut. It acts as a defense mechanism that helps neutralize potentially dangerous bacteria that take advantage of changes to the environment, such as when we consume an imbalanced or fatty diet …”
“If we can boost these IgA B cells or their products, then we may be able to control the type of bacteria in the gut …”
“Especially the ones that are more likely to be linked to inflammation and ultimately insulin resistance. Going forward, this work could form the basis for new gut immune biomarkers or therapies for obesity and its complications, like insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes."