Oligofructose restores postprandial short chain fatty acid levels during high-fat feeding

Obesity and western diet consumption are associated with shifts in the gut microbiome, and gut microbes produce metabolites that influence host metabolism, including short chain fatty acids. Prebiotics, as well as exogenous short-chain fatty acids, improve energy and glucose homeostasis in rodent models of metabolic dysregulation. Here, we found that Western diet-induced obesity is associated with reduced postprandial levels of short-chain fatty acids in the cecum and portal vein and altered the cecal microbiome in rats. Further, oligofructose supplementation in diet-induced obesity increases postprandial short chain fatty acid levels and is associated with reduced adiposity and an altered cecal microbiome. These findings demonstrate that fasting and/or fecal measurements are not accurate indicators of endogenous short-chain fatty acid levels, and therapeutic approaches to increase short-chain fatty acid levels may help alleviate obesity and insulin resistance.