Blood Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) Rifaximin Study

Study Summary

Metabolic syndrome is a condition involving elevated levels of fat in the blood, a tendency towards diabetes, hypertension, and too much fat around the abdomen (an increased waistline). Individuals with metabolic syndrome often have impaired glucose tolerance, which is a condition where blood sugar is normal when fasting (before eating), but is too high after drinking a sugary drink. This is due to an abnormality in the body's sensitivity to insulin (insulin resistance), which is due in part to an inability of the muscle to take up glucose. People with metabolic syndrome have inflammation in their fat tissue and in their blood stream, and the changes in the level of inflammatory chemicals produced by cells in your fat tissues will be studied. One possible source of the inflammation may be the bacteria in the intestine. When individuals eat fatty foods, some of the bacterial products become attached to the fat in their blood and then get directed to fat tissue. The investigators wish to determine whether individuals have an excessive amount of inflammation in their fat tissues, and whether this inflammation comes from the bacteria in their intestines. To determine this, the investigators wish to treat individuals with an antibiotic that reduces the bacteria in their intestines and in their blood, and determine whether this reduces their overall level of inflammation.

Primary Outcome

Plasma lipopolysaccharide (LPS) will be measured both in the fasting state and after a lipid-rich meal in obese subjects (Pre-Treatment: 0, 4 and 8 hr timepoints). The subjects will then be treated with the antibiotic rifaximin for 12 weeks to substantially reduce gut bacteria. LPS measurements at fasting and after a lipid-rich meal will be repeated (Post-Treatment: 0, 4 and 8 hr timepoints). The lipid tolerance tests before and after treatment with rifaximin will be assessed to determine whethe

Interventions

• OTHER Placebo
• DRUG Rifaximin SSD