Probiotics, “good” bacteria, can help you lose weight and have been shown to increase weight loss after gastric bypass. In both of these studies, probiotics were given in the form of supplements. In the first study people (who had not had weight loss surgery) were put on a low fat and calorie diet and given 100 million colonies of the probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus. The women taking the supplement lost twice as much as the control group (for some reason probiotics didn’t have the same impact for men). In the study with post gastric bypass patients, 2.4 billion colonies of Lactobacillus were given daily. Those taking the probiotics lost 70% of excess weight compared to 66% of excess weight for those who didn’t take the supplements. These aren’t huge differences in weight loss, but for those working to reach a healthy weight, every pound counts. Although yogurt and other fermented dairy products contain probiotics, supplements are needed to provide this higher level of colonies.
Probiotics can help you lose weight
Posted on August 4, 2014 by Deb Hart
Deb Hart
Deb Hart is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist. For the last 28 years, she has been helping bariatric surgery patients reach their health and weight goals. She teaches people how to set up a lifestyle that supports a healthy weight. Deb set up her own lifestyle to include lots of long walks with her furry family members, workout classes at her local wellness center, meal prepping, and finding new ways to enjoy foods without added sugar.
