Diabetes research and clinical practiceSep 6, 2020

Higher levels of certain gut acids in type 2 diabetes are linked to leaky gut and imbalanced gut bacteria

Circadian Biology Weekly Brief ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗

Updated Mar 31, 2026

Abstract

Serum concentrations of total short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), acetate, and propionate were significantly increased in type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients compared to healthy controls.

In T2D patients, certain bile acids (BAs) were also found to be significantly increased in serum.
Higher levels of serum zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) indicated a potential 'leaky gut' in T2D patients.
Serum ZO-1 levels were correlated with clinical characteristics, gut microbiota, SCFAs, and BAs.
Increased absorption of SCFAs and BAs from the intestinal barrier may be associated with the disordered gut microbiota in T2D.

Simplified

AIMS: Studies have shown that destruction of the intestinal barrier in type 2 diabetes (T2D) leads to increased absorption of macromolecules from intestinal. We previously exhibited that short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and bile acids (BAs) were significantly decreased in faeces of T2D patients. In the current study, we extended these findings by focusing on the interactions between intestinal barrier and clinical characteristics, gut microbiota, SCFAs and BAs.

METHODS: 65 T2D patients and 35 healthy controls were recruited, targeted metabolomics was used to evaluate the SCFAs and BAs in their serum samples. The serum zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) was measured by ELISA to evaluate intestinal barrier.

RESULTS: Compared with the healthy controls, the serum concentrations of total SCFA, acetate and propionate were significantly increased in the T2D patients, and certain BAs were also significantly increased. In addition, the higher levels of serum ZO-1 suggested a "leaky gut" in T2D patients. The ZO-1 was comprehensively correlated with clinical characteristics, gut microbiota, SCFAs and BAs.

CONCLUSION: SCFAs and BAs were excessively absorbed from the intestinal through the leaky gut, leading to higher levels of circulating SCFAs and BAs in T2D patients, and that the leaky gut might be caused by the disordered gut microbiota.

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Higher levels of certain gut acids in type 2 diabetes are linked to leaky gut and imbalanced gut bacteria

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