“The Role of Gut Microbiota in Metabolic Syndrome: Mechanistic Insights and Therapeutic Perspectives — A Narrative Review”
Year: 2026
Type: review
Abstract: Metabolic syndrome is a multifactorial disorder characterized by central obesity, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, and hypertension, and remains a major contributor to cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes worldwide. In recent years, the gut microbiota has emerged as a key regulator of metabolic homeostasis, influencing host energy balance, immune responses, and cardiometabolic risk. This review summarizes recent advances (2024–2026) in understanding the mechanistic links between gut dysbiosis and metabolic syndrome. Reduced microbial diversity and depletion of beneficial bacterial taxa, including Akkermansia muciniphila and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, are associated with impaired intestinal barrier integrity, metabolic endotoxemia, and chronic low-grade inflammation. Microbiota-derived metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids, bile acid derivatives, imidazole propionate, and branched-chain amino acids modulate host signaling pathways that regulate insulin sensitivity, lipid metabolism, and inflammatory responses. Emerging therapeutic strategies include next-generation probiotics and postbiotics. Future research integrating longitudinal human studies and multi-omics approaches will be essential to translate mechanistic insights into personalized cardiometabolic medicine.
Language: English
Topic: Gut microbiota and health
Subfield: Molecular Biology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7220403283