The Importance of Food for Endotoxemia and an Inflammatory Response

Abstract

Bacterial endotoxin is a potent inflammatory antigen abundant in the human intestine. Endotoxins circulate in the blood at low concentrations in all healthy individuals. Elevated levels of circulatory endotoxins may cause inflammation with the development of chronic disease, either affecting metabolism, neurological disease, or resistance to viral and bacterial infections. The most important endotoxin is LPS, being a superantigen. In this narrative review, the effect of various food components to postprandially elevate circulating LPS and inflammatory markers is described. There is evidence that the intake of food enriched in fat, in particular saturated fat, may elevate LPS and pro-inflammatory markers. This occurs in both normal-weight and obese subjects. In obese subjects, inflammatory markers are already elevated before meal consumption. The importance of food choice for endotoxemia and inflammatory response is discussed.

Keywords: Western diet; meat; obesity; plant-based diet; saturated fat; virus.

Figure 1

Intestinal uptake of endotoxins occurs with uptake of dietary fat after this has been hydrolyzed by pancreatic lipase and its protein cofactor lipase to fatty acids. In the intestinal cell, chylomicrons are formed and leave through passage into the lymph. Endotoxins have the potential to induce inflammation. Fatty acids are primarily used as an energy source but may also induce inflammation.

Figure 2

Schematic picture to demonstrate the ability of dietary fibers and green plant thylakoids to adhere to the intestinal mucosa, reducing the rate of uptake of fatty acids and potentially the uptake of endotoxins, leading to reduced inflammation.