Weight Loss News: Enhancing Gut Microbiome with High-Fiber Diet Promotes Weight Loss

The composition of the gut microbiome, which includes bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms, differs from person to person and resides in the digestive tract. According to certain specialists, the gut microbiome has the potential to greatly impact an individual's general state of health by regulating metabolism, immune function, and mental well-being. These microorganisms in the gut play a role in energy metabolism by controlling glucose metabolism, appetite, and fat storage.

In weight loss news, recent research reveals that variations in the functional characteristics of the gut microbiome are linked to how the body reacts to weight loss treatments. The research discovered that gut microbiome genes related to bacterial growth and the metabolism of carbohydrates and proteins could forecast how an individual responds to weight loss. This study has the potential to pave the way for the creation of personalized treatments and diagnostic methods for individuals seeking to shed excess weight.

METHODOLOGY-

Resistant starch (RS), a type of dietary fiber, has shown potential in reducing body fat and providing other metabolic benefits in animal studies. However, human dietary studies on RS have yielded inconsistent results, particularly when combined with a high-fat diet.

To address this, researchers conducted a crossover, randomized trial involving 37 individuals who were overweight or obese (average age: 33.43 years; 15 women; body mass index [BMI] > 24 or higher waist circumference). The participants were provided with a similar background diet and were given either 40 g of RS (high-amylose maize) or an energy-matched placebo starch daily for 8 weeks. After this period, they switched to the alternative intervention for another 8 weeks.

The primary outcome measured was body weight, while secondary outcomes included visceral and subcutaneous fat mass, waist circumference, lipid profiles, insulin sensitivity, metabolome, and gut microbiome. To assess the impact of RS on gut microbiota composition and function, metagenomics and metabolomics were employed. Furthermore, the effect of RS-modified gut microbiota on body fat and glucose levels in the host was confirmed by transferring microbiota from select average participants to mice.
Overall, this study aimed to investigate the effects of RS as a dietary supplement on various metabolic parameters in individuals with overweight or obesity.

Functional genes of the microbiome: -

In general, this indicates that the inability to lose weight is caused by the host organism surpassing the microbiota in the competition for the easily digestible sugars obtained from dietary fibers and starches. If the microbiome is not rapidly growing to consume these sugars, the host absorbs them instead. Consequently, the microbiome seems to regulate the host's ability to extract calories efficiently from the diet.

TAKEAWAY: -

1- During the 8-week study, participants who consumed RS experienced an average weight loss of 2.8 kg (P < .001). However, there was no notable change in body weight among those who consumed placebo starch.

2- RS proved to be more effective than placebo starch in improving insulin sensitivity (P =.02 and resulted in a greater reduction in fat mass, waist circumference, and other obesity-related outcomes.

3- Following the RS intervention, there was a significant increase in the abundance of the gut microbe Bifidobacterium adolescentis. This increase showed a strong correlation with a decrease in BMI, suggesting that RS plays a role in reducing obesity.

4- Participants who consumed RS had significantly lower levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-1 beta, compared to those who consumed placebo starch.

LIMITATION: -

The study had certain limitations, including a small sample size and strict inclusion criteria for participants. The utilization of a database-driven and taxon-based methodology may have resulted in the exclusion of sequences that were challenging to classify and the oversight of strain-level functional diversity. The authors also recognized the importance of validating the study's findings in larger and more diverse cohorts.

Weight loss new research study