Role of Gastrointestinal Microbiota on Kidney Injury and the Obese Condition

Obesity is associated with kidney disease, probably due to obesity-mediated inflammation, podocyte injury and oxidative stress in the kidney It is also linked to other diseases, for example, diabetes and hypertension, which are associated with the development and progression of chronic kidney disease. Interestingly, gastrointestinal dysbiosis has been demonstrated in cases of obesity with the development and progression of kidney disease. Thus, modification of gastrointestinal microbiota using probiotics or prebiotics or both to improve the balance of bacterial flora is a potential approach for the management of obesity-associated kidney disease. This review covers information regarding the association between obesity and kidney injury, and it examines evidence for a hypothesized role of gastrointestinal microbiota in this setting. Studies describing the effects of probiotic and prebiotic treatments on kidney disease show mixed results, although several suggest benefits indicated by biomarkers associated with kidney injury, uremia and inflammation. Additional studies are needed to determine whether these interventions are clinically effective in managing kidney injury and kidney disease.