Gut Bacteria and Obesity: What is the connection?
By now you are probably familiar with the fact that a large number of bacteria live in our intestines and usually don’t bother us. In the last few years, it was noted in research labs that the different species of bacteria in the intestines could contribute to our overall health, specifically weight loss and weight gain.
At first glance, it is hard to understand how the type of bacteria in our intestines can influence our overall weight and health. In this blog we shall look at the concept of gut bacteria, how they contribute to weight gain and what can be done to optimize the healthy bacteria, so that a person loses weight instead of gaining weight.
The bacteria in our guts continuously change based on our age. They generally play a very important role in helping us breakdown the food, allowing the nutrients to be absorbed by the body. The general ratio of some of these bacteria can cause weight gain versus stable weight. One of the main causes of a change in bacterial count is the use of antibiotics. Some of these changes are not accompanied by any bodily changes. Unfortunately, some actually cause weight gain. In very interesting studies, scientists took stool samples from thin mice and put them into the colons of obese mice. The obese mice proceeded to lose weight. The same occurred when stool from an obese mouse was transplanted into a thin mouse, there was weight gain in the thin mouse.
The potential mechanisms of gut microbiota (bacteria) causing weight gain include:
Energy absorption- bacteria can cause increased ability to absorb energy from a diet leading to fat deposition
Central Appetite- there is a gut-brain communication between the intestines and the brain. Depending on the bacteria, certain crucial hormones involved in hunger and fullness can be not functioning properly leading to increased hunger and weight gain
Fat Storage- certain bacteria contribute to increased fat storage and weight gain
Chronic Inflammation has numerous deleterious results in worsening of the metabolic function of the body. This can lead to insulin resistance and some of the features of metabolic syndrome and weight gain.
Even though we aren’t fully ready to change bacteria in someone’s colon to help with weight loss, research shows that this could be an additional treatment for obesity and numerous other health related conditions. Today, there are a few things we can do to help our gut bacteria, especially the healthy ones. Minimizing the use of antibiotics for prophylaxis and instead using the antibiotics where there is clear evidence of infection. When you have to take antibiotics for legitimate reasons, use of probiotics and yogurts can be beneficial. Current probiotics are designed to bring stability to the bacteria in the colon and to decrease the negative effects of disruptive bacteria. There are actually three kind of biotics, prebiotics, probiotics and postbiotics. Prebiotics are indigestible food ingredients that can improve the intestinal barrier function, not allowing some of the toxins to cross into the main circulation where they can lead to inflammation. Probiotics are what we are discussing in this blog and they play a role in promoting the healthy gut bacteria. Postbiotics play a role in supporting immune health, reducing inflammation, and improving the overall function of the gut by providing beneficial byproducts of healthy bacteria activity.
Stay Healthy, Stay Strong
Dr. Leon Katz
This material is for educational purposes and should be discussed with a medical professional.
Sources:
Dysbiotic Gut Bacteria in Obesity: An Overview of the Metabolic Mechanisms and Therapeutic Perspectives of Next-Generation Probiotics Jonathan Breton et al. Microorganisms 2022, 10, 452
Gut microbiota in obesity, Bing-Nan Liu et al. World J Gastroenterol 2021 July 7; 27(25): 3837-3850. https://bit.ly/4ecaO87
The links between gut microbiota and obesity and obesity related diseases, Jiafeng Geng et al. Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy 147 (2022) 112678. https://bit.ly/3B1WQa8
