Gut & MicrobiomeHigh Uric Acid Drives Obesity by Reshaping Gut Bacteria and Fat Absorption
Most doctors view high uric acid as a side effect of obesity, but this study flips that assumption. Researchers found that uric acid — produced by the liver — acts like a hormone, traveling to the gut and wiping out a beneficial bacterium called Lactobacillus johnsonii. That bacterium normally makes a compound that keeps fat absorption in check. Without it, the intestines absorb far more dietary fat, fueling weight gain. The team also identified a liver enzyme called TIP60 as the master switch controlling uric acid production. When TIP60 was blocked in animals, uric acid dropped, the beneficial bacteria returned, and obesity resistance was restored. This reframes hyperuricemia as a treatable cause — not a consequence — of obesity.
