Can a weightloss journey be benefitted from Probiotics?

Forget about those over-the-counter supplements promising to work wonders for weight loss; they won't magically shed those pounds. However, recent research has shed light on probiotics and symbiotics potentially playing a minor role in aiding healthy fat loss.

Over 12,000 individuals participated in a comprehensive review spanning 200 randomized controlled trials. While the findings weren't mind-blowing, they did indicate that the use of probiotics and symbiotics correlated with a modest reduction of around 2 pounds in body fat.

Let's make one thing clear: weight loss doesn't happen without a calorie deficit. Yet, your gut health can impact how your body processes, digests, and utilizes those calories, influencing your metabolism.

If you're carrying extra weight, previous studies suggest that this could alter your microbiome, fostering bacteria not typically found in individuals with a normal BMI, potentially hindering weight loss efforts.

Considering all these factors, there's a rationale to believe that a healthier microbiome could provide some assistance in weight loss, especially when combined with a focus on a balanced diet, regular exercise, and quality sleep.

While recommending a specific probiotic for weight loss remains challenging due to the infancy of research in this area and the variability in individual responses to different probiotic strains, it might be more effective to concentrate on symbiotics and prebiotics. These are foods that promote overall microbiome health and nourish the beneficial bacteria in your gut. Think bananas, lentils, garlic, oats, fermented foods like sauerkraut or kimchi, asparagus, and yogurt.