iScienceOct 25, 2026

Misaligned body clocks linked to inflammation, gut lining changes, and gut bacteria in people with obesity

Circadian Biology Weekly Brief ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗

Updated Oct 26, 2026

Abstract

Eighty-seven adults with obesity were analyzed to explore connections between circadian disruption and metabolic inflammation.

Late chronotype is associated with a greater burden of metabolic syndrome.
Circadian misalignment may lead to increased gut permeability and inflammation.
The association between circadian misalignment and inflammation is stronger in individuals with higher gut permeability.
Lower levels of short-chain fatty acid-associated bacteria are observed alongside these patterns.
Changes in intestinal permeability following intervention correspond with changes in gut microbiome composition.

Simplified

Circadian disruption has been linked to metabolic syndrome, but the biological links between circadian phenotypes and metabolic inflammation in humans remain incompletely characterized. We analyzed 87 adults with obesity from a randomized clinical trial to examine whether gut microbiome features and intestinal permeability relate to circadian misalignment and metabolic inflammation. Circadian phenotype was assessed using chronotype and meal timing, metabolic inflammation through a composite score of multiple biological measures, and gut permeability using sugar absorption testing. Late chronotype was associated with greater metabolic syndrome burden, while circadian misalignment was associated with increased gut permeability and inflammation, an association stronger among participants with higher permeability. These patterns co-occurred with lower abundance of short-chain fatty acid-associated bacteria, and intervention-related changes in permeability corresponded with changes in these taxa. These findings link circadian phenotypes with gut barrier and microbial features relevant to metabolic risk in obesity.

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Misaligned body clocks linked to inflammation, gut lining changes, and gut bacteria in people with obesity

Abstract

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