Probiotics' potential for good is a popular media topic, and it's exciting to read about worldwide research on how these beneficial bacteria may help with everything from dieting to autism.
Probiotics are much-studied and show confirmed benefits for several gastrointestinal issues. But research is finding out more and more about how the bacterial colonies in your body change in response to different conditions, which may lead doctors to finding new cures or help for challenging conditions.
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Weight loss is, of course, a popular topic (just Google "diet" and "exercise"), and it's not surprising researchers focus on learning news ways to help people lose weight.
In examining how various conditions affect the billions of microbes that live in the intestinal system, scientists discovered that the gut bacteria in obese people was different than that in thin people.
"An early hint that gut microbes might play a role in obesity came from studies comparing intestinal bacteria in obese and lean individuals,"
Scientific America reported. "In studies of twins who were both lean or both obese, researchers found that the gut community in lean people was like a rain forest brimming with many species but that the community in obese people was less diverse — more like a nutrient-overloaded pond where relatively few species dominate."
People who are thin, for instance, have a wider variety of microbes that break down "bulky plant starches and fibers into shorter molecules that the body can use as a source of energy," Scientific America said.
Although there is definitely a correlation between weight and gut microbes, SA pointed out that the finding doesn't mean those differences are the case of obesity.
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However, preliminary studies are showing an impact on obesity when probiotics are introduced. In one,
reported on by LiveScience, mice fed probiotics and then given a high-fat diet didn't gain as much weight as mice that weren't given the probiotic.
"Researchers genetically modified probiotic bacteria to produce a hunger-suppressing compound called NAPE, which is normally released by the cells in the small intestine after a meal and signals the brain to reduce food intake," LiveScience said. The mice given the probiotic ate less, and developed less insulin resistance and fat in the liver.
In a
2014 review on PubMed of studies done on obesity and probiotics, researchers found evidence that "these microbial strains can be applied in the treatment of obesity. Furthermore, short chain fatty acid production and low grade inflammation were found as the underlying mechanisms of action that influence metabolism and affect body weight. These findings might contribute to the development of probiotic treatment of obesity."
As more research is done, it's likely that probiotics will play a role in obesity prevention and treatment.
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