Overview

• The Canadian team from McMaster University, Université Laval and the University of Ottawa reported the results in Cell Metabolism on July 29, 2025.
• D‑lactate, largely produced by gut microbes, was shown to enter circulation and drive the liver to overproduce glucose and fat.
• Obese mice and people with obesity had higher blood levels of D‑lactate compared with lean counterparts.
• A biodegradable “gut substrate trap” that binds D‑lactate reduced blood glucose, improved insulin resistance, and lowered liver inflammation and fibrosis in obese mice without diet or weight changes.
• Media coverage highlights potential relevance to MASLD in the UK, where prevalence is about one in five and liver deaths have risen, while noting no human trials or clinical outcomes have yet been reported; the work was funded by CIHR.