Many people try and try but ultimately struggle to lose weight. We look for causes in our diet, our hormones, and our metabolism – but what if the microbes in our gut held the key? Scientists have long reported that the composition of gut bacteria in obese people was different from that of non-obese people.
More recently, researchers have found that the bacteria living in our gut, that help us digest food and absorb nutrients, play a pivotal role in losing weight.
How would that work? According to science, the bacteria in our gut can influence weight loss by impacting how particular foods get broken down. For example, the rate at which bacteria break down starch into sugar can influence weight gain and weight loss, because if the bacteria breaks down the starch too quickly, too much sugar in the blood in a short period of time gets stored as fat.
Therefore, there is a possibility that altering the gut bacteria, which can be done through a variety of means such as changing diet, taking supplements, or having a fecal transplant could be valuable tools in the fight against obesity.
