Purpose: In the last 20 years, bariatric surgery has achieved an important role in translational and clinical research because of obesity comorbidities. Initially, a tool to lose weight, bariatric surgery now has been shown to be involved in several metabolic pathways.
Methods: We conducted a narrative review discussing the underlying mechanisms that could explain the impact of bariatric surgery and the relationship between obesity and adipose tissue, T2D, gut microbiota, and NAFLD.
Results: Bariatric surgery has an impact in the relation between obesity and type 2 diabetes, but in addition it induces the white-to-brown adipocyte trans-differentiation, by enhancing thermogenesis. Another issue is the connection of bariatric surgery with the gut microbiota and its role in the complex mechanism underlying weight gain.
Conclusion: Bariatric surgery modifies gut microbiota, and these modifications influence lipid metabolism, leading to improvement of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
Keywords: Adipose tissue; Bariatric surgery; Diabetes; Gut microbiota; Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
© 2023. The Author(s).