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Can the Bacteria

in our Gut Really
South Florida PBS
Influence our Weight?
proudly welcomes

New research Florida Blue as a sponsor
indicates that the type
and amount of bacteria of the Health Channel!
that live in our gut
influences our weight.
How is this possible, you
may wonder? We have
long known that our gut
is teaming with bacteria.
These microorganisms are necessary for our health and
well-being. We also know that the so-called micro biome (gut
bacteria) acts as a “second brain,” sending powerful signals
through the body and communicating with the brain. Recently,
scientists have identified the actual genes of our gut bacteria.
It turns out there are many more bacterial genes than human
genes. These genes make up substances that go into our
bloodstream and affect our body chemistry.
As we eat and start digesting our food, the gut bacteria
help break down the food. Some bacteria are better than
others in disseminating our food and aiding digestion, thereby
adding more calories to our body and possibly increasing our
weight. Some people may assume that having these kinds of
bacteria would make it harder to lose weight, but is this really
true?
Scientists have taken bacteria from 77 pairs of identical
twins – one of whom was lean and the other obese. The
study found that the diversity of the gut bacteria was lower in
the obese twins. The bacteria were transferred into the guts
of lean mice. The bacteria from the obese twin made these
mice fat, but bacteria from the lean twin did not. This exciting
discovery may lead to treatments that help people prevent
weight gain or lose weight by controlling their gut bacteria.
The bacteria in our gut also help our body produce
hormones that affect our appetite, prompting us to feel
hungry or full. These include leptin, ghrelin and peptide YY.
Some studies have shown that prebiotics, which contain
compounds that are fermented by gut bacteria, can have a
similar effect on appetite.
While the research into the effect of gut bacteria on
weight is still in its infancy, it does have promising possibilities
for the future of weight control. In the meantime, we can help
our gut flora by eating fermented foods like yogurt, kombucha,
kefir and sauerkraut. We should also eat a diet rich in whole
grains, fruits and vegetables and polyphenol-rich foods such
as dark chocolate, green tea and red wine. To avoid harming
our gut flora, we should take a good probiotic and avoid
consuming sugar and artificial sweeteners and unhealthy fats,
which all harm our gut bacteria.

Unni Greene is a Certified Nutrition Specialist and co-
owner of SoMi Fitness in South Miami.
For more information, visit somifitness.com. INSPIRE HEALTH 33