You Can Become Obese From A Fecal Transplant

[haidut]

It looks like more and more evidence links obesity to type and quantity of bacteria in our gut. This is a case study of a woman who received a fecal transplant from her daughter to treat her diarrhea cause by an infection with Clostridium difficile. After about a year and a half post transplant the woman became obese and the weight gain could not be curbed by a change in diet and additional exercise.

http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2015/02/ ... 423067944/
http://ofid.oxfordjournals.org/content/2/1/ofv004.full

 

[messtafarian]

Another thing we know is that whatever bacteria it is, it is resistant to antibiotics, and it is not lactobacillus, bifidum, or e.coli.

 

[mujuro]

This doesn't seem that unusual to me. C.diff can ravage the body. I wonder if the weight gain was not just her body following its natural inclination to put on extra kg after having starved for so long. If her daughter was heavy set, perhaps there is an epigenetic curtail in their lineage when it comes to thin figures. Coming from a bodybuilding background I can also say that most "medically advised" weight loss regimens have been falling behind in their game for years, if not decades. (Not saying that people should aim for <10% BF, but when push comes to shove, a protocol inspired by bodybuilding/body-recomposition principles gets the job done.)

It also doesn't mention height or physical activity in the articles; if she had amassed muscle as well as fat, or been engaging in resistance exercise, then the BMI is not an accurate metric.

 

[tara]

This doesn't seem that unusual to me. C.diff can ravage the body. I wonder if the weight gain was not just her body following its natural inclination to put on extra kg after having starved for so long.

This was my first speculation too. Recovery from starvation can take more than 16 months, especially if it is interrupted by further periods of under-eating, as in this case (ie she tried dieting and exercise to lose the new weight). During sickness she could well have lost lean/muscle mass, too, which could affect the issue. Gaining more fat is a comman first part of such recovery. If this were the main factor (which we don't know), she might or might not return naturally to a lower weight after a bit longer, if she is allowed to eat reeasonably nourishing food.
There may have been other stress-related stimuli for weight gain too - she had been fighting other infections as well.

As the article says, there are other possible explanations:

Kelly and her colleagues say there are other potential explanations for the woman's rapid weight gain. The patient was also being treated with a number of antibiotics for another gut infection (Helicobacter pylori). It's also possible the eradication of her Clostridium difficile infection encouraged her to quickly amass extra pounds.

Not to say that the newly added microbiota had nothing to do with it (other than displacing the CDI) - they may well have - it's just not the only reasonable explanation.

Even with quite a large gain in adipose tissue, her health and life expectancy are probably much improved by ditching the c. difficile, given how nasty it is.
Resistant CDI is the only condition that I'm aware of where FMT has been deliberately, repeatedy, and successfully used, and the trade off seems like net benefit.

 

[Such_Saturation]

perhaps there is an epigenetic curtail in their lineage

Yes, hence "You can become obese from a fecal transplant".