Scientists produce vaccine to prevent getting fat

There was no notable difference between the vaccinated mice on unhealthy diets and unvaccinated mice on healthy diets.

This suggests the vaccine effectively prevents weight gain from a typical Western diet. However, more research is necessary to see how it works in humans.

Experts think the bacteria helps lower stress-induced inflammation, often caused by inflammatory foods like processed meats, refined grains, and sugary drinks.

Inflammation and excess calories can increase cortisol levels, a stress hormone that causes the body to store more fat.

Inflammation can also disrupt leptin, a hormone that controls metabolism and appetite, leading to increased hunger.

Dr. Christopher Lowry, the lead author and a professor at the University of Colorado, highlighted that the research showed a complete prevention of weight gain from a poor diet in the mice.

This indicates that good bacteria may help shield  some harmful effects of a typical Western diet.

Published in the journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, the study builds on earlier findings that Mycobacterium vaccae might lower inflammation related to weight gain.

In the experiment, one group of mice ate regular rodent food without the vaccine. Another group was given a diet high in fat and sugar.

Among the mice on the unhealthy diet, half received the vaccine while the other half did not. The vaccinations were administered weekly.

After 10 weeks, the unvaccinated mice on the unhealthy diet gained 16 percent more weight compared to those on a healthy diet and had much more visceral fat.

This fat surrounds internal organs and is linked to diseases like heart disease and diabetes.

On the other hand, the vaccinated mice did not experience more weight gain than the healthy mice.

Those vaccinated on the unhealthy diet also had less visceral fat than the healthy group.

The finding suggests that M vaccae effectively prevents the excessive weight gain induced by a Western-style diet. However, it is unclear if humans would see the same effects.