Are probiotics good for weight loss? How can they help you lose weight? What have studies and health experts like Dr Oz said about the link between weight loss and good bacteria? What are their benefits? What do user reviews reveal about these supplements? Which are the best probiotics strains and brands known to make you shed some pounds fast? Is there a specific probiotic diet for weight loss? Read on to find out.
How do or can probiotics help you lose weight? What is the role of probiotics in weight loss? Are there any studies or researches that explain the link between probiotics and weight loss? What do publications in reputable journals like the British Journal of Nutrition say about this idea?
Following are some of the studies published in the British Journal of Nutrition, National Institutes of Health (NIH) etc.
This study was Published jointly by a team of researchers from Nestlé’s research lab and Université Laval in Quebec. It was headed by Professor Angelo Trembla from Université Laval- Faculty of Medicine.
According to the study, obese women who add probiotics – most commonly found in yogurt – to their meal or diet plans could lose twice as much weight as those who do not.
In the recent past, studies have already shown that the intestinal flora of obese individuals is different from that of lean or slim people. It is thought that the difference may be due to the fact that a diet high in fat and low in fiber promotes certain bacteria at the expense of others.
Professor Tremblay and his team tried to determine if the consumption of good bacteria could help reset the balance of the intestinal microbiota in favor of bacteria that promote a healthy weight.
In the study, 125 overweight subjects (men and women) were put on a 12-week weight loss diet, followed by another 12-week weight maintenance program. During the 24-week period, half the participants swallowed capsules daily containing probiotics from the Lactobacillus rhamnosus family, while the other half received a placebo.
After the 12-week diet period, the team of scientists observed an average weight loss of 4.4 kg in women in the participants who took the capsules and 2.6 kg in the placebo group.
Interestingly, no changes in weight loss were observed among males in the two groups. Why? According to Professor Tremblay, they reason as to why the probiotics had no effect on men is not known. May be it was linked to dosage, or the study period may have been too short.
After the 12-week maintenance period, the weight of the women in the placebo group had remained stable but the probiotic group had continued to lose weight, for a total of 5.2 kg per person. In addition, the team of researchers noted a drop in the appetite-regulating hormone leptin in this group.
The probiotic-induced weight loss in women was associated not only with significant reductions in fat mass and circulating leptin concentrations but also a lower overall concentration of the intestinal bacteria related to obesity.
Another study by at Lund University, Sweden, aimed at investigating the effects on weight gain and gut microbiota in rats given bacterial supplements and a high-energy-dense diet from fetal life through to 6 months of age found out that rats who were given a specific lactic acid bacterium from their time in the uterus up to adult age put on significantly less weight than other rats despite the fact that both groups (of rats) ate the same amount of high-energy (high-calorie) food.”
In a study, a team of Japanese researchers divided 210 overweight individuals into three groups. While everyone consumed a daily 7-ounce serving of fermented milk, two of the groups drank milk spiked with varying amounts of a probiotic called Lactobacillus gasseri SBT2055, which past research has tied to fat loss.
After 12 weeks, people slugging the probiotic milk formulas dropped roughly 8 to 9 percent of their visceral fat—a particularly unhealthy type that builds up around your heart and organs. Both probiotic groups also lost 1 to 3% of their belly fat, the study shows. [prevention.com]
Other studies have established that probiotics are good for metabolic syndrome, which every so often goes together with obesity. This seems sensible basing on the idea that both are caused by a diet high in sugars and harmful fats, which results insulin resistance, fuels the growth of unhealthy bacteria, and packs on additional weight.
It has been also observed that Probiotics can help gastric-bypass patients lose weight more quickly. In a study published in the Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery, John Morton, MD, associate professor of surgery at the medical school, Stanford University, showed that patients who take probiotics after the gastric-bypass procedure tend to shed more pounds than those who don’t take the supplements.
So, how can/do/will probiotics help you lose weight? How does it work? What is their role in weight
Did you know that your body made up of nearly 100 trillion bacteria ( both good and bad)– more than 10 TIMES the number of cells you have in your whole body? When weighed, on average, an adult human carries about 3 to 4 kgs of bacterial gut flora! The good bacteria is what probiotics are. Why good? Simply because they help keep your gut healthy.
What is the ideal ratio of the good and bad bacteria? According to Dr Mercola, the ideal ratio between the bacteria in your body is 85 percent “good” and 15 percent “bad.”
Probiotics for weight loss work- How exactly does it work?
Probiotics are thought to work by altering the permeability of the intestinal wall and helping keep pro-inflammatory molecules from entering the bloodstream, thereby preventing the chain reaction that can lead to weight-related illnesses like glucose intolerance, type 2 diabetes and obesity. This is according to Professor Tremblay
According to Yukio Kadooka, a researcher with the Snow Brand Company in Japan and co-author of the Japanese study mentioned above, your intestines manage the digestion and absorption of the foods you eat. And it’s possible the probiotics lower intestinal inflammation and aid digestion, both of which could prevent the buildup of body fat.
Probiotics or good/beneficial/helpful bacteria also control the growth of bad bacteria that is known to cause diseases. The bad bacteria competes for nutrition and attachment sites in your colon. In other words, they can aid balancing your “good” and “bad” bacteria thereby keeping your body working like it should.
This is of great significance, given the fact that pathogenic bacteria and other less beneficial microbes can can put your health in devastating condition if they get the upper hand over the good bacteria.
However, it is important to note that more studies are still be carried out to find out exactly how probiotics work for weight loss and other health conditions.
What does Dr Oz say about using probiotics as a weight loss remedy? What do other health experts recommend?
Dr Oz, together with Dr Chen propose probiotics as a fat loss tool. They recommend a strain of probiotics by the name Lactobacillus Gasseri. This strain can blast your belly fat and inhibit fat production as well as speed metabolism and lower inflammation. This implies that you are probably fighting fat in diverse ways.
However they recommend;
Always select a product that has the most recent “use by” probiotics are living organisms meaning that they can die. Try the lowest possible dose during the first two weeks of trying it. Also, read the label to find out whether it might interact with a food sensitivity.
Dr Mercola
One other health expert you want here is Dr Mercola.”Although I’m not a major proponent of supplements (as I believe the majority of your nutrients need to come from food), probiotics are one of my exceptions.
Ensuring that you’re getting a regular supply of good bacteria in your digestive system is so important because an estimated 80 percent of your immune system is located there. So supporting your digestive health is essential to also supporting your immune system, which is your number one defense system against ALL disease”, he says.
In the market today, it has been established that there exist a variety of probiotics and strains. Each of these probiotics do not work in the same manner. They are formulated for different purposes.
While shopping check the label for details like strains, number of CFU (colony forming units) expiry date, what it is meant for etc.
The label is the most basic yet very important evaluation criteria. Also look around for evidence, testimonials or studies that say that whatever you are yet to buy works.
Which probiotics for weight loss? Are there particular recommended brands?
Following is a list of probiotic strains that help you lose weight. Note that most of these strains are mentioned in the studies and recommendations by health experts above
Which is the brand to go for? You already have an idea… Look for brands with the strains listed above. Some these brands include;
To make your probiotic weight loss plan more effective, experts suggest eating more foods that contain probiotics (like yogurt) and following a healthy diet that’s low in fat and high in fiber as you will learn shortly
What is the best probiotic diet or food for weight loss? Probiotic supplements may be costly but fortunately, there is a less expensive way to obtain them to restore a healthy digestive track. This is through cultures and fermented foods.
Adding the foods below to your diet can help regulate your gut flora:
Besides eating foods rich in healthy bacteria, you should avoid eating those that encourage the growth of bad bacteria.
You lifestyle choices can also play a big role maintaining healthy gut. Avoid;
To conclude here are the benefits, advantages or pros of probiotics for weight loss and other general health conditions.
All the above benefits contribute to your general well-being in one way or another. From the above studies, it is clear that probiotics should be included in your weight loss plan tools.
However, be careful on the strain you choose. Probiotics are readily available in fermented foods or you can buy them as supplements.
Review #1
Review #2 why they may not help
On popular forums like sparklepeople, myfitness pal, 3fatchicks some people support the idea that probiotics can help you lose well others say they are useless.
Well, this makes sense, every individual reacts to supplements differently. The only to know that they may work or not work is to try them. Afterall, there some evidence that these tiny beneficial bugs are certainly important.
Not all probiotics will help to shed some pounds. Some of them can cause weight gain. Some studies have found that particular probiotic strains might make you add some weight. However, athe weight gain effects depend on the probiotic strain. The effects may also vary between individuals. Find out more in this article: Probiotics Weight Gain
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