Research on the intervention of obesity through polyphenol regulation of lipid metabolism via gut microbiota

Abstract

At present, overweight and obesity have become a severe global public health threat, marked by excessive fat accumulation in various organs and persistent disruptions to the body's overall metabolic homeostasis. Massive unified research evidence from abundant published literature confirms that the complex intestinal microbial consortium exerts irreplaceable regulatory effects on balancing host energy utilization and modulating a wide range of biochemical signal cascades linked to lipid turnover. Naturally sourced polyphenolic substances broadly exist in fresh fruits, leafy vegetables and multiple plant-derived beverages, and these bioactive ingredients have attracted widespread scholarly attention in recent years. Their research popularity mainly stems from two core functions: restructuring the community structure of gut microbes and improving abnormal lipid metabolic profiles seen in obese populations. On the basis of previously reported research findings, this review systematically sorts out up-to-date research progress regarding the intrinsic molecular pathways whereby plant polyphenols alleviate obesity-related symptoms through regulating gut microecology and subsequent linked metabolic signaling networks. This paper also thoroughly analyzes the key physiological functions of resident intestinal bacteria throughout the in vivo modulation process of lipid metabolism.To be more precise, this work collates and organizes ample valid experimental evidence supporting polyphenol-based anti-obesity intervention strategies, combining research results from animal preclinical tests, human controlled clinical trials and large-sample population epidemiological investigations. All the integrated research data outlined in this review can establish a stable theoretical foundation to facilitate the creation and real-world application of polyphenol-rich nutritional supplements and targeted dietary therapies for the early prevention and long-term clinical management of obesity-related metabolic diseases.