Research progress on gut microbiota and metabolic surgery for the treatment of obesity and related metabolic diseases

Obesity and its associated metabolic diseases have become significant global health challenges, with conventional therapies often limited by insufficient efficacy and high relapse rates. In recent years, metabolic surgery has emerged as a critical intervention for treating obesity and related metabolic disorders. Beyond achieving substantial weight loss, it demonstrates unique therapeutic benefits, including improvements in blood glucose levels, lipid metabolism, and reduced cardiovascular risk. Notably, metabolic surgery also alters the structure and function of the gut microbiota. These changes enhance host metabolic health by restoring intestinal barrier integrity, reducing endotoxin translocation, suppressing chronic inflammatory response, and regulating the secretion of metabolic hormones, thereby improving insulin sensitivity and energy homeostasis. Therefore, this paper provides a review of recent studies on the relationship between the intestinal microbiota and metabolic surgery in obesity and its related metabolic diseases, in order to provide new ideas for future treatment strategies.