Gut Bacteria May Influence Whether You Re Successful On A Diet Study Finds

Researchers observed that people who lost at least 5 percent of their body weight had an abundance of bacteria called Phascolarctobacterium. Those who failed to lose at least 5 percent of body weight had an increase of bacteria called Dialister. Dialister is a type of bacteria that increases the body’s capacity to metabolize carbohydrates, giving people an energy boost that results in extra calories stored in the body. The study results suggest that individualizing dietary advice based on the gut microbiome may lead to more effective weight loss strategies, say Purna C. Kashyap, MBBS, lead author of the study and a gastroenterologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Changing or restricting certain foods as part of a diet alters the makeup of the microbiome, he says. “But we have not considered the role of the microbiome in weight loss. We take a diet and give it 100 people, but we know it will only work for 50. If we understand the functions of the bacteria in the gut and understand how that affects an individual’s ability to lose weight, it might help us choose the right dietary treatment for the right patients.” RELATED: U.S. News’ Best Health and Weight Loss Diets for 2018 Understanding the colonies of various bacteria that live inside the gut has become fertile ground for researchers exploring the connections between the microbiome and a range of diseases, including diabetes and inflammatory bowel disease, according to research published in September 2014 in the journal Cell Host & Microbe. Gut bacteria perform many functions, including helping to process food. “The food we cannot digest acts as food for the microbiome,” he explains. “We digest everything we can use, and the rest we pass on to the microbiome. The bacteria can return part of that energy to us.”

How Researchers Studied the Role of the Gut Microbiome in Weight Loss

In the new study, published in August 2018 in the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings, Dr. Kashyap and his colleagues followed 26 obese or overweight people who were enrolled in a weight-loss program that required adherence to a low-calorie diet. Researchers used stool samples to analyze the individuals’ gut bacteria. Researchers followed the dieters for three months. Nine of the 26 participants lost 5 percent of their body weight, an amount that is considered successful because it is likely to produce health benefits, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). A laboratory analysis of the stool samples showed those people had more Phascolarctobacterium bacteria. In contrast, Dialister is a bacteria that promotes metabolizing carbohydrates and may provide the body more energy in the form of calories. But these two types of bacteria are likely among many such biomarkers that could influence weight loss, Kashyap says. “All of us harbor a unique microbiome, and gut bacteria varies regionally as well,” he says. “People in California may have a different set of bacteria as compared with those living in Midwest. But this study is helpful in that it brings into the picture that microbes might be used in determining how you lose weight. The biomarkers could be different in different populations.” Kashyap noted that the study was small and short-term, which further emphasizes the need for more research on the relationship between gut bacteria and weight loss.

What We Know and Don’t Yet Know About How Gut Bacteria May Affect Weight

Previous studies have also hinted at a connection between the gut microbiome and weight loss, and the new study adds momentum to the idea, says Sonya Angelone, RDN, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and a nutritionist and consultant in San Francisco. “It is important to know that the gut bacteria play a role in weight loss,” Angelone says. “Certainly, weight loss is difficult, especially for some people who eat less, exercise more, and still don’t lose weight. However, we don’t have enough information yet to know if just supplementing with certain bacteria will help with weight loss. We know that people who eat a plant-based diet, in general, tend to be healthier, including having a healthier gut microbiome — greater variety and balance of good to bad bacteria.” Future research could explore how probiotics — live microorganisms in foods or supplements — might pave the way for more effective weight loss, Kashyap says. Moreover, different foods might be recommended for different dieters depending on their unique gut microbiome. “A lot of times we see this huge variation in [the success of] diets,” he says. “Some people say this diet did wonders for me and another person says it did nothing. We’ve realized there are a lot of factors. Genetics can play a role. Stress can play a role. But the microbiome may play a role in the response to diet. The more we know, the more we can individualize treatment for people.” RELATED: Which Is Better: Low-Carb or Low-Fat? Neither, New Research Suggests The idea that diets may have to be individualized makes sense, Angelone says. “We still have a lot to learn,” she says. “Most likely, the benefit of certain bacteria has something to do with how they affect genes, epigenetics, or how the environment changes gene expression. This is probably why there is so much conflicting information on which weight loss methods work best or which nutrition recommendations are best — because they depend on the individual.”

title: “Gut Bacteria May Influence Whether You Re Successful On A Diet Study Finds” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-11” author: “George Velazquez”

Researchers observed that people who lost at least 5 percent of their body weight had an abundance of bacteria called Phascolarctobacterium. Those who failed to lose at least 5 percent of body weight had an increase of bacteria called Dialister. Dialister is a type of bacteria that increases the body’s capacity to metabolize carbohydrates, giving people an energy boost that results in extra calories stored in the body. The study results suggest that individualizing dietary advice based on the gut microbiome may lead to more effective weight loss strategies, say Purna C. Kashyap, MBBS, lead author of the study and a gastroenterologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Changing or restricting certain foods as part of a diet alters the makeup of the microbiome, he says. “But we have not considered the role of the microbiome in weight loss. We take a diet and give it 100 people, but we know it will only work for 50. If we understand the functions of the bacteria in the gut and understand how that affects an individual’s ability to lose weight, it might help us choose the right dietary treatment for the right patients.” RELATED: U.S. News’ Best Health and Weight Loss Diets for 2018 Understanding the colonies of various bacteria that live inside the gut has become fertile ground for researchers exploring the connections between the microbiome and a range of diseases, including diabetes and inflammatory bowel disease, according to research published in September 2014 in the journal Cell Host & Microbe. Gut bacteria perform many functions, including helping to process food. “The food we cannot digest acts as food for the microbiome,” he explains. “We digest everything we can use, and the rest we pass on to the microbiome. The bacteria can return part of that energy to us.”

How Researchers Studied the Role of the Gut Microbiome in Weight Loss

In the new study, published in August 2018 in the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings, Dr. Kashyap and his colleagues followed 26 obese or overweight people who were enrolled in a weight-loss program that required adherence to a low-calorie diet. Researchers used stool samples to analyze the individuals’ gut bacteria. Researchers followed the dieters for three months. Nine of the 26 participants lost 5 percent of their body weight, an amount that is considered successful because it is likely to produce health benefits, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). A laboratory analysis of the stool samples showed those people had more Phascolarctobacterium bacteria. In contrast, Dialister is a bacteria that promotes metabolizing carbohydrates and may provide the body more energy in the form of calories. But these two types of bacteria are likely among many such biomarkers that could influence weight loss, Kashyap says. “All of us harbor a unique microbiome, and gut bacteria varies regionally as well,” he says. “People in California may have a different set of bacteria as compared with those living in Midwest. But this study is helpful in that it brings into the picture that microbes might be used in determining how you lose weight. The biomarkers could be different in different populations.” Kashyap noted that the study was small and short-term, which further emphasizes the need for more research on the relationship between gut bacteria and weight loss.

What We Know and Don’t Yet Know About How Gut Bacteria May Affect Weight

Previous studies have also hinted at a connection between the gut microbiome and weight loss, and the new study adds momentum to the idea, says Sonya Angelone, RDN, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and a nutritionist and consultant in San Francisco. “It is important to know that the gut bacteria play a role in weight loss,” Angelone says. “Certainly, weight loss is difficult, especially for some people who eat less, exercise more, and still don’t lose weight. However, we don’t have enough information yet to know if just supplementing with certain bacteria will help with weight loss. We know that people who eat a plant-based diet, in general, tend to be healthier, including having a healthier gut microbiome — greater variety and balance of good to bad bacteria.” Future research could explore how probiotics — live microorganisms in foods or supplements — might pave the way for more effective weight loss, Kashyap says. Moreover, different foods might be recommended for different dieters depending on their unique gut microbiome. “A lot of times we see this huge variation in [the success of] diets,” he says. “Some people say this diet did wonders for me and another person says it did nothing. We’ve realized there are a lot of factors. Genetics can play a role. Stress can play a role. But the microbiome may play a role in the response to diet. The more we know, the more we can individualize treatment for people.” RELATED: Which Is Better: Low-Carb or Low-Fat? Neither, New Research Suggests The idea that diets may have to be individualized makes sense, Angelone says. “We still have a lot to learn,” she says. “Most likely, the benefit of certain bacteria has something to do with how they affect genes, epigenetics, or how the environment changes gene expression. This is probably why there is so much conflicting information on which weight loss methods work best or which nutrition recommendations are best — because they depend on the individual.”