Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Can Prebiotics And Probiotics Help You Lose Weight

Probiotics Appear To Even Prevent Weight Gain

Can Probiotics Help You Lose Weight and Belly Fat?

When it comes to weight loss, you also have to continue to focus on not regaining the weight back once you lose it. While more research is needed, a 2015 study published in the journal Obesity, found that a probiotic supplement taken over a 4 week period reduced weight and fat gain in participants who consumed 1,000 extra calories more than they needed each day. This could indicate that certain probiotic strains may be helpful in preventing weight gain.

According to their website, VSL#3, a commercial multispecies probiotic that contains 8 different strains of bacteria and has a potency of 450 to 900 billion colony forming units . It contains a variety of Streptococcus, Bifidobacterium, and Lactobacillus bacterias.

Risks Of Probiotics For Weight Loss

While probiotics are generally safe, there can be some risks associated with taking them.

Quality. As a food product or supplement, probiotics dont go through the same rigorous testing as medicines, which means you cant be sure of the quality of the product youre buying.

Because there are fewer regulations with probiotics, it’s hard to tell exactly what you’re getting and if the product even has enough bacteria to have any impact on your body. There have also been reports of products that have different strains than what are listed on the label.

Bacteria are also living organisms. If the product isnt made or stored correctly, or is close to its expiration date, the bacteria might not survive long enough to have any beneficial effect on your gut.

Different strains. Probiotic supplements often have different bacteria strains. As mentioned earlier, researchers are still unclear as to which strains may have the most effect on weight loss. This is important to keep in mind if you’re taking a probiotic specifically to help you lose weight.

Immune system problems. People who have compromised immune systems or severe diseases can get sick from taking probiotics. You should avoid consuming probiotics if youre taking medications that suppress your immune system. It’s best to talk to your doctor first before taking any probiotic supplement.

How To Use Probiotics For Weight Loss

Probiotics are easy to incorporate in your lifestyle and you can do it in two ways. The first option is to consume food sources of probiotics.

Fermented foods are the most natural and abundant sources of probiotics. You see, fermenting is one of the oldest methods of food preservation. Foods that are fermented go through a lacto-fermentation process wherein natural bacteria feed on the sugar and starch in food, thus creating lactic acid. This results in an environment that preserves the food and promotes B vitamins, enzymes, and a wide range of bacteria species. Therefore, you can obtain probiotics through consumption of:

  • Yogurt
  • Pickles
  • Traditional buttermilk

When it comes to yogurt, make sure to open for plain variety. Avoid flavored yogurts because they may be laden in sugar.

If you cant obtain enough probiotics through diet, or youre not into fermented foods, supplementation could be the answer. Sold over the counter, probiotic supplements dont require a prescription. However, you should still consult your doctor. You see, probiotic supplements are usually not intended for everyday use and are recommended for persons who are taking antibiotics or treating a specific ailment. Your doctor will inform you whether its okay to take probiotic supplements or not.

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The 5 Best Probiotic Supplements For Weight Loss

When it comes to buying a quality probiotic supplement, dont skimp. Always look for those that conduct third-party testing and have trusted quality, efficacy, and purity. Probiotics have to be alive for them to work, so inexpensive, low-quality supplements, especially when it comes to probiotics, are not worth taking, says Foroutan.

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How Probiotics Promote A Slim Waistline

Can probiotics help you lose weight?

In one study, obese people consumed a fermented milk product for twelve weeks and reduced 4.6 % abdominal fat. The surprise is the quick results just by consuming 200 grams of a fermented milk product containing a Lactobacillus strain.Effects of probiotics on body weight, body mass. Wiley Online LibraryLactobacillus alter body adiposity and gut microflora in healthy persons ScienceDirectLactobacillus rhamnosus on weight loss in obese men and women PubMed

Other studies show similar resultsconsuming probiotics for weight loss works well. But how do beneficial bacteria promote a slimmer waistline?

Gut imbalances seems to be a factor why some people dont have to eat much to gain weight, which is extremely frustrating! Probiotics bacteria are able to avoid the formation of excess fat. Probiotic bacteria are also involved with regulating appetite via hormones and proteins. In other words, probiotic bacteria can reduce the number of calories execrated from food you consume.Lactobacillus gasseri suppresses fatty acid release PubMed Beneficial metabolic effects of a probiotic PubMed Probiotics for the Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Humans PubMed

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Other Types Of Probiotics Good For Weight Loss

Continuous research has led to more discoveries on how probiotics assist in weight loss.

Lactobacillus paracasei, for instance, has been proven to be effective in body weight and food intake.

Paracasei reduces food intake in both animals and humans, and an extract from it is capable of reducing body fat and weight. What paracasei does is reduce the number of lipid plaques at the aorta.

The result is lipogenesis or lower production of fat. It also leads to better absorption of nutrients and reduces the size of fat cells.

One of the best probiotics for women and men is Lactobacillus plantarum as it is an effective fat burner. Plantarum PL60 and 62 generate CLA that stimulates burning of fat.

Studies done on mice show that after 8 weeks of regular feeding with PL60, mice lost considerable weight without adjusting calorie intake. The animals fat tissues were also reduced by a significant margin.

Combining L plantarum with a low fat, low-calorie diet led to lower BMI results, especially among adults with hypertension and obesity.

Another lactobacillus that is known to stimulate weight loss is rhamnosus. In a research study done at the Nutrition and Health Research Department in Lausanne, Switzerland, nutritionists learned that L rhamnosus is very effective in lowering fat mass as well as weight loss.

L rhamnosus is also effective in lowering concentrations of leptin in the body. It also enhances liver parameters in overweight children.

Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth

Probiotics can be linked to small intestine bacterial overgrowth. This is the excessive growth of bacteria in the small intestines. An abnormal high quantity of bacteria in the small intestines, caused by consuming too many probiotics or some other reason, increases food fermentation. As the food ferments, it produces gasses such as methane and hydrogen .

Continuous release of these gases over a short period may lead to bloating, abdominal pain, and nausea. In the long run, bacterial overgrowth in the intestines can lead to interstitial mucosal inflammation. This is dangerous since it can damage the villi, intestinal tract and also thin the mucus membrane .

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How Can I Lose Weight While I Sleep

Resurge exploits individual rest cycles to make them last much longer. Study from the University of Texas Medical School has located that people who only sleep 5 hours a night or much less for a week acquire as much as 2 pounds. Resurge assists you sleep longer, as a result staying clear of the deleterious weight related repercussions of sleeplessness. Resurge boosts the quality of rest and also to help you shed weight.

How Gut Bacteria Help You Lose Weight

Can Probiotics Really Make You Lose Weight? | What the Science Says

Many of the bacteria that live in your digestive system help your body perform functions it could necessarily carry out on its own, including producing certain B vitamins and certain fatty acids.

They also help break down fiber, which your body cant digest, turning it into beneficial short-chain fatty acids like butyrate

Probiotics seem to influence appetite and energy usage via the production of short-chain fatty acids like butyrate. When the good bacteria digest starches, they produce butyrate. This decreases insulin resistance and regulates the hormones that control appetite .

So, if you dont have enough of these bacteria, then you might not get the signal that you are full, prompting you to consume more calories which contribute to weight gain.

Its also thought that certain probiotics may inhibit the absorption of dietary fat, increasing the amount of fat excreted with feces. In other words, some bacteria extract fewer calories from the foods you eat. Certain bacteria, such as those from the Lactobacillus family, have been found to function in this way.

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How Your Gut Bacteria Affect Weight Loss

Your gut contains many different bacteria, which are part of your microbiome, a collection of over 100 trillion microbes.

These bacteria all work together to help your body do the following:

  • Break down nutrients
  • Keep your gut lining healthy
  • Influence your immune system

Dysbiosis happens when the bacteria in your gut become unbalanced. This can cause digestive problems like irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease, along with allergies and even brain disorders.

But the way bacteria affect your weight is still not fully understood. One study done on sets of twins found that those who were obese had less diversity of gut bacteria compared to those who were lean.

Other studies have discovered that certain bacteria strains may slow down weight gain. Some strains can reduce waist size, while others may help with weight loss. However, some researchers have not been able to find any connection between bacteria and weight.

Most scientists do agree that bacteria affect your metabolism. They do so by helping your body:

  • Make vitamin K

So What Should I Eat For Weight Loss And Gut Health

Doerfler recommends the following plan for people who want to drop a few pounds while improving their digestive health.

1) Eat at least one serving of oats and barley a day. She explains these carbs are more beneficial than other types of whole grains because they are loaded with soluble fiber, which helps you poop.

2) Incorporate three to four servings of fruit and three to six servings of vegetables into your meals. You can easily achieve this by eating one serving of fruit at every meal. Veggie intake can be split up between lunch and dinner.

3) Eat one serving of yogurt each day for a healthy dose of probiotics.

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How Probiotics And Prebiotics Can Help You Lose Weight

The weight loss benefits of probiotics are more about your mental health as well as physical. If you are calm and happy, its easier to keep yourself on track with your diet.

You see, weight loss is not just a matter of controlling your food intake. Its a matter of a stable mental outlook.

The balance of your gut flora directly affects your mental health, which in turn affects how you lose weight.

An easily overlooked part of weight loss is keeping your body running smoothly, not just dropping pounds.

Another issue that crops up is that if youre not feeling well due to ill health, youre less inclined to eat the right foods. We tend to turn to less healthy foods when we feel sick.

Probiotics and prebiotics can help with this by balancing your gut flora. A happy intestinal tract is the foundation of health, which in turn, can help you keep you on track with your diet.

An important benefit of probiotics living in your gut is that youre actually getting all the nutrients from your food.

As the friendly bacteria live off the prebiotics, they convert nutrients into more bio-available forms.

Not getting enough nutrients can be problematic when dieting, since you are already eating less food than you normally would. Less food means less nutrients, so being able to absorb a higher proportion of what you do ingest is a very good thing!

Probiotics have also been linked to both . While it certainly isnt a miracle drug, it can make a BIG difference in your weight loss goals.

Sounds Great Whats The Catch

Can Probiotics Help You To Lose Weight

All of this is very preliminary and largely based on speculation and educated theories. Theres simply not enough evidence to support a cause-and-effect relationship between probiotic consumption, your gut bacteria, and waistline size yet.

We are a long way from knowing which strains would have the most benefits or how to provide that benefit, cautions Apovian. So while a specific probiotic type may have the power to improve digestive health, it may do nothing to help you get lean.

Concerning dosage, do you need to consume 1 billion, 10 billion, or 100 billion live bugs? No answers there yet.

And will probiotics work on generally fit individuals who just have a couple of pounds they would like to lose? When not performed on animals, most research to date has been conducted on obese individuals whose body weight might be more sensitive to changes in the microbiome. I do think that there is enough evidence to show that obesity is associated with a gut microbiome that is unbalanced towards bacteria in the undesirable Firmicutes family that produce signaling molecules which promote fat production, Apovian says.

The makeup of the gut microbiome does not seem to be the underlying cause of obesity, so focus on healthy eating and exercise habits, and you could both lose some weight and improve the good microbes that make it easier to maintain healthier body weight.

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Probiotic Supplements For Weight Loss

If you go shopping for probiotic supplements, you should have no difficulty finding plenty of options in pharmacies and certain stores. Typically, they will contain strains of Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, or both.

If you prefer to shop online, you will find your options increase considerably, though not all the products you see will be as potent as the manufacturers claim.

Pill-type supplements are easily the most common, but some manufacturers offer liquid-form probiotic bacteria you take by the drop.

Life Extensions Florassist Gi With Phage Technology

Were big fans of Life Extensions Florassist GI Phage because it is unique and it includes bacteriophages and a proprietary probiotic blend thats been shown to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria and promote the growth of good bacteria, say The Nutrition Twins . Its designed to reach the lower intestine for a greater benefit, they continue, specifying that this is key since many probiotics dont do this and that accounts for why they dont work.

Bonus rec? We live for their magnesium, too. So helpful during these stressful times, its like a massage before bed.

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A Natural Alternative To Losing Weight

If youre looking for a natural way to lose weight, then probiotics may be the answer.

We all know that diet and exercise are key parts of any healthy lifestyle, but sometimes those things just dont cut it. So what do we do?

We turn to more drastic measures- supplements or medications- in order to help promote weight loss. But these methods often come with side effects and other risks, which is why an increasing number of people are turning to probiotics as a safer alternative.

Scientific research has shown that certain strains of bacteria can actually improve metabolism and aid in digestion by breaking down food faster- both major contributors to losing weight. And unlike pills or powders, probiotics come from something we already eat- foods like yogurt.

Of course, its important to note that this isnt about taking more food or eating different foods. Its really just about changing the types of foods you eat so you can get the most benefits from them.

The good news is that there are many weight loss-friendly foods out there that are high in probiotics, like yogurt, sauerkraut, and kimchi. So add a few of these to your diet and see how you feel.

Whole Grain Granola With Greek Yogurt

Will a Probiotic Help Me Lose Weight?

The Probiotic: Greek YogurtThe Prebiotic: Whole Grain Wheat

We can’t find a better way to start your morning, than with Greek yogurt. But topping it off with high fiber foods, like cereal made out of whole-grain wheat is an even better way to go. The less processed it is, the easier it will travel down to your gut to feed your beneficial microbes Swapping whole grain cereal for refined and processed granola is one of the easiest ways to fit prebiotics into your diet.

The Probiotic: KimchiThe Prebiotic: Asparagus, spinach

Kimchi may be a foreign concept to you. That’s okay, but it’s worth investigating. This Asian fermented veggie dish is made out of cabbage, radishes, and scallions. Pairing the probiotic with green veggies and olives in a Buddha bowl will do more than just heal your gut. In fact, researchers at Kyung Hee University in Korea found that after consistent consumption of Lactobacillus brevis, the cultured strain found in kimchi, obese lab rats experienced suppressed weight-gain by 28 percent! Meaning, compared to the other weight gaining weight, the rats consuming this strain gained less.

The Probiotic: Tempeh, feta, olivesThe Prebiotic: Onions, chickpeas

The Probiotic: KefirThe Prebiotic: Blueberries, Flax Seeds

The Probiotic: Tempeh, cheddar cheeseThe Prebiotic: Beans, onions

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Reducing Inflammation From Leaky Gut

Weight gain is associated withleaky gut . This may increase circulating pro-inflammatory lipopolysaccharides in the bloodstream .

Metabolic endotoxemia can result in chronic, low-grade inflammation as well as increased oxidative damage associated with cardiovascular disease .

In mice with metabolic syndrome, treatment with a probiotic led to a significant reduction in tissue inflammation and leaky gut due to a high-fat diet .

Gut Health And Weight Loss: How Probiotics Can Help You Lose Weight

Conventional wisdom says that to lose pounds you go on a diet to reduce the calories you consume.

However, the link between probiotics and weight loss indicates bacteria and weight loss may be closely related.

What researchers have determined is that probiotics can have a positive effect in helping you lose weight and staying healthy.

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