What happens in the gut does not always stay in the gut. A growing body of research shows that when the digestive tract is in proper balance, often with the assistance of probiotics, the rest of the body can benefit as well. It seems that certain probiotics may even be able to help some individuals to attain their weight loss goals.
What Are Probiotics?
Probiotics are living organisms which when ingested produce health benefits mostly by restoring, maintaining or improving the flora of the intestinal tract. Flora are microorganisms that are normal residents of particular areas in the body whose function remains beneficial to health so long they remain their natural environment. But if for any reason, they can’t carry out their normal function or are diminished in their ideal number, health problems such as overweight and obesity can set in. In this case, probiotics are needed to restore them in numbers and function (1).
The word ‘probiotic’ is a Greek word which means ‘for life’, a term first conceived by Ferdinand Vergin in 1954. The modern conceptual knowledge of probiotics is attributed to Russian scientist and Nobel laureate Élie Metchnikoff whose postulation was that Bulgarian peasant who consumes yogurt, a natural source of probiotics, lives longer and healthier because of such routines.
At the same time, fermented milk with lactic-acid bacteria was recognized as inhibitors of proteolytic bacteria growth due to the acidic pH created by the fermentation process (1, 2).
Overweight and obesity have been associated with abnormal gut microflora that is deranged in function and numbers which in part explains how useful probiotics will be in this set of individuals (3).
There are known natural sources and foods, including fermented foods that contain probiotics as well as synthetic sources in the form of drug formulations. In the setting of overweight and obesity, the number of probiotics may not be able to keep up with the amount needed for weight loss. Hence, the probiotic drug is used to achieve faster results (1, 2, 3).
The known food sources include kefir, kombucha, sauerkraut, pickled vegetable, natto, coconut kefir, yogurt, kvass, raw cheese, brine-cured olives, salted gherkin pickles, apple cider vinegar, miso, tempeh, traditional buttermilk, water Kefir, raw cattle milk, kimchi. There are also several known probiotic drugs which are generally considered safe for humans with few side-effects (4).
Probiotics are mainly isolated from the following genera: Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, Saccharomyces, Streptococcus, Enterococcus, Leuconostoc, Bacillus, Pediococcus, Escherichia coli.
Some specific examples include Lactobacillus gasseri, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Lactobacillus amylovorous, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus fermentum, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Bifidobacterium longum amongst others. Other potentially useful probiotics strain comprises bacterial genera Bacillus, Propionibacterium and Escherichia, and some yeast genera, like Saccharomyces (2).
How Can Probiotics Induce Weight Loss?
You may be struggling to lose weight since then. You have probably tried taking supplements, observing diets, performing exercises, and undergoing hypnotherapy, but it seemed like these methods for losing weight are not effective. The good news is that probiotics have a great impact on our body mass index (BMI) and body weight (5).
In a study, around 2,000 adults experienced the reduction of both BMI and body weight after the consumption of probiotics in 25 trials. And the result is even better for participants who took the beneficial bacteria and multi-strain probiotics for more than eight weeks (6).
Another study has shown how Lactobacillus rhamnosus, a probiotic, can aid in losing and maintaining weight in obese men and women. Those who took probiotics for 24 weeks experienced weight and fat mass reduction as compared to the placebo group (7).
Indeed, the composition of microbes in our gut varies, especially in overweight and obese people. Two beneficial bacteria are usually dominant in our gut, namely the Bacteroidetes and the Firmicutes. A study shows that people who are obese have decreased Bacteroidetes as compared to lean people, but they usually have more Firmicutes (8).
Why do you think it matters? Well, about 90 percent of all bacteria found in our gut is made up of the Bacteroidetes and the Firmicutes families. It means that changes in their proportion can actually affect our well-being. Since Firmicutes can produce a lot of short-chain fatty acids, these can be added up to the calories we take every day, which may result in weight changes.
Probiotics can help you lose weight by:
1. Improving Nutrient Absorption
One of the primary functions of the gut bacteria found in our body is to aid us with digestion. Everything we eat is actually broken down into molecules with the help of these bacteria, which can eventually be absorbed in our bloodstream, necessary for our nourishment.
Aside from that, the microbes found in our gut can produce enzymes, vitamins, and short-chain fatty acids, which are all vital in our metabolism and digestion. The reason why we shed excess weight is that we absorb all the nutrients from the food we eat.
If our body is fed with the right amount of nutrients, we will be satiated, which will prevent us from craving more foods. In fact, a study has shown that having unhealthy microbiomes due to a lack of nutrient absorption can lead to malnutrition. So no matter how nutritious the food you take, for as long as these nutrients cannot be properly absorbed, you will most likely suffer from malnutrition (9).
2. Regulating Hormones to Help Reduce Appetite
Microbes can also determine our satiety levels. They are responsible for regulating our hormones, responsible for sending signals to our brain that we should stop eating. For instance, leptins are hormones composed of fat cells which are responsible for controlling our feeling of fullness or satiety. Probiotics affect our leptins.
Leptins are produced by our body fats. If our body is composed of more fats, then the more leptins it can produce, which can also make signals to our brain that we are full. This is how our body works to stabilize our weight. But, if we are not able to perceive the signal that we are full, then our body will accumulate the fats, which also leads to the overproduction of leptin. If our body is used with too many leptins, then it will become leptin resistance.
The good news is that probiotics can help in regulating our hormones. It can help improve leptin sensitivity so that our brain gets the signal that we are full. It means that we can stop eating when we are actually full. In this way, we can be able to control our weight (10).
3. Decreasing Fat Storage
While certain probiotics have been shown to move some of the extra fat that is consumed out of the body before it can cause problems, it appears that probiotics may help to reduce the amount of additional fat that is stored in the body. The reduction of increased fat stored occurred even with excess food intake.
Evidence showed that those who were given a certain probiotic gained less weight while eating too many calories compared to those who were given a placebo. Another study shows how the good bacteria of the gut may affect this.
Experts also found that a certain protein can help to prevent the accumulation of fat within adipose tissue. This protein is increased with a proper balance of the microbiome in the gut, effectively reducing how much consumed fat gets stored for later use.
While these studies did not necessarily show the benefits of probiotics for weight loss, it showed that the use of probiotics can help with weight management by reducing the amount of extra calories that are stored as fat.
4. Increasing Metabolism
By equalizing the levels of beneficial bacteria that are found in the digestive tract, probiotics can help the body to function more effectively. The same study that showed probiotics may reduce the amount of fat that is already stored in the body draws interest in the ability of these same probiotics to increase metabolism.
A health metabolism continues to use calories, even when you are not exercising. Fat is a little more difficult for the body to digest, so many dieters find that they lose muscle over fat stores when eating a calorie-restricted diet.
Because probiotics may change how the body utilizes macronutrients for fuel, these beneficial bacteria can help the body to burn fat for fuel rather than the protein stored in muscle. Those who take probiotics with their healthy diet and exercise program may enjoy a higher calorie burn even during inactive periods.
5. Controlling Inflammation
If you are suffering from inflammation, you will most likely be at risk of metabolic syndrome, a cluster of health issues that increase your risk of stroke, diabetes, and heart disease. These conditions also include high blood sugar, increased blood pressure, abnormal triglyceride or cholesterol levels, and excess body fat around the waist (11).
Undesirable substances cannot enter our bloodstream if we have a gut barrier. The good thing is that probiotics help in the lining and protect our gut barrier (12). But, if the gut microbiota gets out of balance and the gut barrier becomes leaky, then pro-inflammatory toxins and molecules can enter our bloodstream, which can trigger immune and allergic responses leading to inflammation and weight gain.
Remember that out of about 40 trillion bacteria in our body, most of these are found in our intestines. And these bacteria are collectively known as gut microbiota, very crucial for our health. Beneficial bacteria can help in strengthening our gut barrier as well as in regulating our immune system.
6. Balancing Blood Sugar Level
Every time we eat, our body produces insulin. Insulin helps our body to use the energy we get from the food we eat. Insulin can unlock our cells to let sugar in for the latter to be used as our body’s fuel.
If our body becomes insulin resistance, our cells no longer respond as the hormone is produced. You will most likely gain weight, especially if you include visceral fats because it produces a huge amount of inflammatory chemicals which can lead to making our cells insulin resistance (13).
Moreover, if our glucose level is high, the excess amount of which is stored by our body as fats. As a reaction to high blood sugar, the insulin is secreted by our pancreas, which signals our body to stop burning fats. But we tend to crave for foods high in sugar, especially if our blood sugar is too low. The influx of sugar in our bloodstream could trigger weight gain and fat storage.
The good news is that probiotics can help in maintaining healthy blood sugar levels. It helps to increase the secretion of insulin and to improve insulin sensitivity. A study has shown how probiotics can serve as beneficial agents to manage diabetes (14).
Other Health Benefits of Probiotics
Aside from weight loss, many experts are studying when and how probiotics might best help. While there’s more research for some illnesses than others, they are believed to be effective in treating the following conditions:
Bacterial Vaginosis
Several studies have been in favor of the probiotics in the prevention or treatment of BV, and no adverse effects have been reported. Therefore, it may be helpful to recommend daily consumption of probiotic products to improve public health among women (15).
In 2013, investigators found that administration of hydrogen peroxide-producing strains, like Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus rhamnosus, controlled and regulated vaginal pH, and also restored the vaginal microbiota, thereby deterring and treating bacterial vaginosis
Diarrhea
Some authorities suggested probiotics as a promising treatment for different forms of gastroenteritis. A Cochrane meta-analysis on the usage of probiotics to treat severe infectious diarrhea centered on a broad review of medical literature through 2010 and it was reported that use the various tested probiotic formulations reduced the duration of diarrhea.
Studies have shown that probiotics hold strong promise in the treatment of antibiotic-associated diarrhea (16, 17).
Traveler’s Diarrhea
Probiotics reduced the risk of travelers’ diarrhea by 8%. They also lowered the risk of diarrhea from other causes in children (18). Another study proved that probiotics may reduce the occurrence of dental caries in children. Two reviews documented a reduction of the occurrence and prevalence of respiratory tract infections.
Immune Function and Infections
Probiotics may help give your immune system a boost and inhibit the growth of harmful gut bacteria (19).
Also, some probiotics have been shown to promote the production of natural antibodies in the body. They may also boost immune cells like the IgA-producing cells, T lymphocytes and natural killer cells (20, 21).
Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD)
IBD including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis (22, 23, 24). Some probiotics might keep ulcerative colitis in remission, a state of little to no disease activity, and prevent Crohn’s disease from relapsing and getting worse.
Allergies and Eczema
Certain probiotic strains may reduce the severity of eczema in children and infants.
Evidence found eczema symptoms improved for infants fed probiotic-supplemented milk, compared to infants fed milk without probiotics (25).
Another study followed children of women who took probiotics during pregnancy. Those children had an 83% lower risk of developing eczema in the first two years of life (26).
Some probiotics may also reduce inflammatory responses in people with milk or dairy allergies. However, the evidence is weak and further studies are needed (27).
High Cholesterol and Blood Pressure
Certain lactic acid-producing bacteria may reduce cholesterol by breaking down bile in the gut (28).
Bile, a naturally occurring fluid mostly made of cholesterol, helps digestion. By breaking down bile, probiotics can prevent it from being reabsorbed in the gut, where it can enter the blood as cholesterol (29).
A review of 5 studies found that eating a probiotic yogurt for 2–8 weeks reduced total cholesterol by 4% and LDL cholesterol by 5% (30).
Consuming probiotics may also lower blood pressure. A review of 9 studies found that probiotic supplements reduce blood pressure, but only modestly (31).
In order to experience any benefits related to blood pressure, supplementation had to exceed 8 weeks and 10 million colony-forming units (CFUs) daily (32).
Mental Health Disorders
An increasing number of studies link gut health to mood and mental health.
A review of 15 human studies found supplementing with Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus strains for 1–2 months can improve anxiety, depression, autism, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and memory (33).
Another study followed 70 chemical workers for 6 weeks. Those who consumed 100 grams of probiotic yogurt per day or took a daily probiotic capsule experienced benefits for general health, depression, anxiety and stress (34).
How to Take Probiotics for Weight Loss?
According to experts, there two different ways on how we can add beneficial probiotics to our regular diet:
Supplements
There are actually a lot of probiotic supplements available in the market. Usually, probiotic supplements include Bifidobacterium or Lactobacillus bacteria. Sometimes, these supplements contain both. You can find probiotic supplements in pharmacies, health food stores, and even online.
Fermented Foods
Probiotics can also be found in many foods. One of the most well-known sources of probiotics is yogurt. Yogurt is obtained by fermentation of specific microorganisms such as Bifidobacterium or Lactobacillus strains.
Other fermented foods containing beneficial bacteria include:
- Fermented, raw cheeses
- Kefir
- Kimchi
- Kombucha
- Natto, tempeh, or miso
- Raw apple cider vinegar
- Sauerkraut
Additional Tips
Indeed, there is no question how probiotics can be beneficial for our health. But, there are some important things that you should consider when taking probiotics, especially for weight loss:
Select A Supplement That Has 10 Billion Live Organisms Per Dose
Actually, there is no set dosage on how many doses of probiotics we should take. It’s always a good idea to seek advice from our health care provider. According to WebMD, probiotics are dosed depending on the number of live organisms they comprise.
Usually, the live organisms of Lactobacillus acidophilus range from 1 to 10 billion and these are split into 3 to 4 doses. On the other hand, it is suggested to take a high-potency, high-quality probiotic supplement with 30 billion colony forming units (CFU). This dosage is recommended to ensure the survival of probiotic bacteria (35).
Don’t Take Probiotics with Chlorinated Water
Do you know that the water you drink is also vital for your healthy digestion? Drinking water can help our food to be broken down into molecules. It can be easier for the waste to pass through the intestines as well as for the nutrients to absorb in our body. Water can prevent constipation as it softens stool. We tend to focus on how much water we should drink every day, but the quality of water is also crucial (36).
Usually, our water is already treated with chlorine. The purpose of which is to help us be protected from various diseases. But, do you know that it also kills our good gut bacteria? And water with chlorine is actually like antibiotics, which can kill good gut flora. This will most likely affect the effectiveness of the probiotic supplements we take.
Take Probiotics On An Empty Stomach
Probiotics are considered as healthy supplements which can treat various health conditions including ulcerative colitis and diarrhea. But, some probiotic health supplements tend to lack directions on how and when these supplements are taken.
According to experts, it’s best to drink probiotics on an empty stomach. It is because the presence of food in our stomach can actually trigger digestive fluids and stomach acids, which can break down the foods we eat and kill microorganisms, including those which are found in our supplements.
In order to keep these microorganisms alive, we are advised to take probiotic supplements on an empty stomach, for instance, 30 minutes prior to every meal (37).
The Bottomline
Probiotics offer a wide range of health benefits. Their effects on weight are mixed, depending on the type of probiotic, but are promising!
At the end of the day, probiotics when combined with a healthy, real food-based diet can be an excellent choice for natural weight loss. Also, there are several other reasons to take a probiotic supplement. They can improve digestive health, reduce inflammation, improve cardiovascular risk factors and even help fight depression and anxiety. In short, it can promote overall health!
References
(1) https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Probiotic&oldid=902564442
(2) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5964481/
(3) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6266556/
(4) https://www.drugs.com/drug-class/probiotics.html
(5) https://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-26619/how-probiotics-can-help-you-reach-your-healthiest-weight-ever.html
(6) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27149163
(7) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24299712
(8) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17183309
(9) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26912898
(10) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21933985
(11) https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/metabolic-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20351916
(12) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22254077
(13) https://www.health.com/health/article/0,,20929224,00.html
(14) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25963407
(15) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24299970
(16) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26695080
(17) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22570464
(18) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16728323
(19) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12801956
(20) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14557292
(21) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12369194
(22) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18270836
(23) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25793197
(24) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19091823
(25) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11069570
(26) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23083673
(27) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10024217
(28) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16517616
(29) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22611376
(30) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11114681
(31) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25047574
(32) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25047574
(33) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27413138
(34) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25879690
(35) https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/best-time-to-take-probiotics
(36) https://www.guthealthproject.com/how-tap-water-affects-gut-health/
(37) https://www.livestrong.com/article/517268-probiotics-on-an-empty-stomach/
