Study Finds Changing Your Gut Bacteria May Make Weight Loss Easier

It’s known that changing your diet can also change your gut bacteria, but a new study goes beyond that, finding that your gut bacteria play an important role in how hard or easy it is for you to shed unwanted pounds. The findings suggest that altering your gut bacteria in a beneficial way may make it easier to lose weight for those whose gut microbiomes are making the process harder.

The new research was published by the American Society for Microbiology, revealing that one’s gut microbiome has an influence over one’s ability to lose weight. In some cases, one’s gut bacteria may make them resistant to weight loss; in other cases, it may help with losing weight, assuming the right lifestyle interventions are made.

The research involved metagenomics, which revolves around getting genetic materials from stool and blood samples. Two groups of people were involved in the study; one group lost 1-percent or more of their body weight over 6-12 months during a weight loss intervention program, while the other group maintained a stable BMI over the same time period.