This month I want to share with you some really fascinating new information about another possible benefit of probiotics -- avoiding obesity!

In a recent study conducted at Stanford University, 44 patients undergoing gastric bypass surgery received either a placebo or the probiotic Lactobacillus in a dose of 2.4 billion. The patients were monitored for digestive symptoms and their weights were recorded.

The group who received the probiotic had a significantly improved quality in life following the surgery as compared to the placebo group. The surprise finding was that the probiotic group lost more weight after the surgery than the placebo group, losing 70% of their excess weight as compared to the placebo group's 66%.

There has been some very interesting research on how the intestinal bacteria can affect both our metabolism and our weight.

Studies have found that young germ-free mice (no bacteria in their intestines) who consume the same diet as control mice had 42% less body fat. However, when the intestines of the germ-free mice were infused with the bacteria from the control mice and food intake remained constant, the germ-free mice had a 60% increase in body fat within 2 weeks.

Given these and other findings, researchers have discovered that these intestinal bacteria in the colon have enzymes that we lack. The bacteria can break down undigested food products resulting in increased intake of sugar and fat calories(1).

In addition, these intestinal bacteria have an undesirable effect on enzymes in the liver; extra calories that are absorbed are converted to fat and stored in the fat cells, especially those inside the abdomen(2). These fat cells produce chemicals that cause diabetes, hypertension and hypercholesterolemia(3).

Recent evidence based on human and animal studies suggests that the trillions of bacteria that normally reside within the human intestines affect nutrient intake and energy regulation; it further suggests that obese and lean people have different intestinal bacterial flora.

There are two groups of bacteria in the intestines. One group seems to predominate in obese humans.

To investigate the relation between intestinal bacteria and body fat in humans, a study was conducted on 12 obese people who were assigned to a fat-restricted or a carbohydrate-restricted, low calorie diet. The composition of their intestinal bacteria was monitored over a course of one year.

At the completion of the study, there was a change in the bacterial composition. The predominate bacterial populations modified to resemble that seen in lean humans(4).

These results suggest lean humans have a composition of intestinal bacteria that do not enhance the uptake of the calories from the undigested food products reaching the colon. In addition, their intestinal bacteria do not stimulate the liver to make more fat from the carbohydrates absorbed.

One other human study found differences in infant stool bacteria composition may also predispose an individual to development of obesity later in childhood(5). Children who were overweight at age seven had lower bifodobacterial concentrations and higher staphylococcus aures during infancy.

The manipulation of the intestinal bacteria using probiotics may prove to be a novel therapeutic treatment for obesity. At this point, more studies are needed, but it is an exciting area of research that may identify another benefit of probiotics.

Perhaps EndoMune might help you with weightloss!

Stay tuned for updates on this subject.
Thank you for your interest in EndoMune.

Eat healthy, exercise and live well!!
Dr. Hoberman

1) Debaise j, Zhang H, et al. Gut Microbiota and Its Possible Relationship With Obesity. Mayo Clin Proc. 2008;83(4):460-469.

2) Backhed F, Ding H, et al. The Gut Microbiota: an environmental factor that regulates fat storage. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA;2004;101(44):1718-15723.

3) Tennyson C, Friedman G. Microecology, obesity, and probiotics. Curr Opin in Endocrin, Diabetes & Obesity. 2008;15:422-427.

4) Ley R, Turnbaugh P, et al. Microbial Ecology: human gut microbes associated with obesity. Nature.2006;444:1022-1023

5) Kalliomaki M, Collado M, et al. Early differences in fecal microbiota composition in children may predict overweight. Am J Clin Nutr.2008;87:534-538.