Probiotics have been a growing new trend in the weight loss industry. There are many people who have claimed probiotics worked wonders for them,some lost more than 10 pounds in a couple of weeks. But some ended up gaining weight instead.
Scientists also shared the same question as consumers: Do probiotics help you lose weight?
Intrigued by this new weight loss trend, they have conducted multiple clinical studies to gather more evidence. And here are 4 key clinical studies that gave us insights to determine whether probiotics work for weight loss.
Scientists from Tokyo Healthcare University gave a group of elderly a supplement containing the probiotic Bifidobacterium breve (B. breve). For 3 months, these participants had maintained their regular lifestyles especially their food intake, exercise and regular medications.
The scientists continuously measured their fat parameters over this period. And it revealed some interesting numbers.
The participants’ fat mass fell significantly by 8.5% while their weight fell by an average of 3.2%.[1]
This means you sit on chairs without constantly worrying of breaking them!
In a study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2 groups of overweight patients were given a daily serving of fermented milk for 12 weeks. 1 group had additional Lactobacillus gasseri probiotic (L. gasseri) in their fermented milk.
At the end of study, scientists were surprised to see how much weight their patients had lost.
Their patients experienced a significant in multiple parameters.
A reduction in fat area
A reduction in body weight
A reduction in BMI (body mass index)
A decrease in hip circumference
And an increase in adiponectin, a hormone that stimulates the breakdown of fat
All the measurements they took were unanimous.[2] It was key evidence that L. gasseri probiotic could help you lose weight.
Imagine being able to shop at a regular mall for regular clothes, without having to request for plus-size clothes in every store. L. gasseri probiotic has shown good potential as a new probiotic for weight loss.
Here is another key study from the Nutrition Journal of US. Patients were divided into 2 groups. Both were taking fermented milk supplement every day, but one group had Bifidobacterium Lactis (B. lactis) added to their supplement.
The group who took B Lactis probiotic experienced significantly better weight loss results. They showed a reduction in their BMI, their total cholesterol and low-density lipid (LDL, the harmful fat that clogs up your blood vessels).[3]
Furthermore, their bodies displayed a fall in inflammatory proteins like tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-6. This is a promising result for long-term weight loss as it would protect your body from cellular damage, allowing it to function properly especially when it comes to burning of stubborn fats. See how inflammation contributes to weight gain and how it can be treated.
The above studies have shown remarkable evidence of weight loss with probiotics.
But that doesn’t mean you should start eating any probiotic yogurt that you see in the supermarket. Not all probiotics will achieve such desirable effects. Weight loss only applies when you consume thecorrect strains of probiotics.
In fact, taking the wrong strain of probiotics make you gain weight instead!
For instance, Lactobacillus acidophilus and weight gain have shown to be a strong connection for humans and animals,[4] even though its cousin Lactobacillus gasseri has proven to naturally reduce fat in multiple areas.
It pays to be a little skeptical, as health claims from commercial “probiotic” food and drinks can be misleading at times.
Even though clinical studies above have shown that you can lose weight with probiotics, you’re probably not going to achieve that by simply drinking Yakult everyday.
According to this popular probiotic drink label, every 100ml contains 17.9g of sugar.
That’s 69% more sugar than 100ml of coke!
This is also a common issue with most commercial probiotic food and drinks. They are heavily sweetened to appeal to America’s taste, and these sugars are a notorious culprit of America’s obesity problem. With so much sugar dwelling inside, it defeats any weight loss benefits the probiotic would have provided.
Natural probiotics have proved to be a powerful ingredient to stimulate weight loss. Two critical things that boosts your weight loss with probiotics are selecting the right proven strains and consuming them in the right condition.
This is also where things get challenging. You have to consume a complex combination of probiotics that is specifically designed and proven for weight loss.
And if you consume probiotics right, you can achieve weight loss for the long term.
Especially if...
You go on diets but you succumb to your cravings after a couple of weeks.
Your belly fat seems to be growing by the day.
And you're always too tired to work out...
You'll need the right strains of probiotics to unlock your body's true metabolism. We at Better Body Co. have formulated a 3-strain probiotics for weight loss called Provitalize. Our Provitalize users have reported to lose as much as 5 pounds within a week, even without any major change in their diet or lifestyle.
If you want to shed those unwanted pounds, live a healthier life and spend more quality time with your family...