Bears' seasonal hibernation linked to changes in gut microbes
Thursday, February 4, 2016 - 12:02
in Biology & Nature
Each year, as bears prepare to hibernate, they gorge themselves on food to pack on fat. And yet, despite the rapid weight gain, the animals somehow avoid the health consequences so often associated with obesity in humans. Now, researchers reporting in Cell Reports on February 4 show that the bears' shifting metabolic status is associated with significant changes in their gut microbes.