Research
Hormonal
Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) translocation from the gut to the blood (metabolic endotoxemia) is a key driver of systemic inflammation, mediated by the TLR4 receptor, and is directly caused by HFD-induced gut barrier dysfunction.
To reduce systemic inflammation, it is not enough to just eat less; you must also protect your gut lining to prevent bacterial toxins (LPS) from entering your bloodstream and triggering an immune response.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
Increased gut permeability and enhanced gut LPS production associated with an HFD results in higher plasma endotoxin concentration, known as 'metabolic endotoxemia'... LPS on its own has multiple adverse effects on gut function... promotes intestinal inflammation... via specific signaling pathways.
Why this rating
Supported by knockout mouse studies and human observational data.
Source
High-Fat, Western-Style Diet, Systemic Inflammation, and Gut Microbiota: A Narrative Review
Ida Malesza et al. · Cells · 2021
DOI 10.3390/cells10113164
narrative_reviewCited 727×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- A high-fat, Western-style diet (HFD) causes systemic low-grade inflammation through gut dysbiosis, increased intestinal permeability (leaky gut), and subsequent translocation of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) into the bloodstream, which activates the TLR4/NF-κB inflammatory pathway.Good
- Specific gut bacteria, particularly Akkermansia muciniphila and those producing short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) like butyrate, protect gut barrier integrity and reduce inflammation, whereas HFD reduces their abundance.Good
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