These particular gut bacteria need to be pampered if you want to lose weight

The composition of the gut microbiome may predict diet success or likelihood of obesity.

A new study reveals that the microbiome has the potential to influence how the body responds to weight loss diets. 

Indeed, recent research suggests that the composition of the gut microbiome may predict a person's likelihood of being obese or the success of their diet. 

Bacterial replication and degradation of carbohydrates and proteins were linked to gut microbiome genes.

The gut microbiome is made up of different bacteria, fungi and other microorganisms that reside in the digestive tract and whose composition varies between individuals. 

According to some experts, the gut microbiome can have a significant impact on a person's overall well-being by affecting metabolism, immune functions and mental health. 

By regulating glucose metabolism, appetite and fat storage, these gut microbes influence energy metabolism. Animal and human studies have shown that obesity and diabetes are linked to changes in the composition and function of gut microorganisms.

Bacteria that Help or Hinder Weight Loss

Before they participated in a weight loss program, the researchers identified the genes that were most abundant in the people's gut microbiota.

The researchers were able to determine the functional profile of the entire intestinal microbiome based on the biological functions of these genes. They found that a person's ability to lose weight could be predetermined using the functional profile of gut microbiota genes at the start of the weight loss program. Scientists know that microbiome genes that affect human metabolism differ between people who lost weight and those who resisted weight loss.

This work can lead to diagnostics to identify people who may respond to mild lifestyle interventions or those who may require more radical interventions to lose weight.

These findings suggest organisms and genes responsible for weight loss success or resistance, which could guide future interventions aimed at creating weight loss-permeable microbiomes rather than weight loss-resistant microbiomes. . The research was published in the journal mSystems.

Average BMI and weight loss

Data from 105 participants in a behavioral wellness program were analyzed in the current study. The researchers collected information about the participants, including their weight and body mass index (BMI), a value that estimates a person's body fat based on their height and weight. At the start of the study and 6 to 12 months after starting the program, they also looked at blood samples.

Additionally, at the start of the wellness program, researchers collected stool samples and diet information. They used blood samples to assess different metabolites and proteins, and stool samples to assess the composition and function of the gut microbiota.

Researchers also used metagenomic analysis to assess differences in gut microbiota function. A metagenomic analysis consists of identifying the most abundant genes in the entire community of microorganisms that constitute the intestinal microbiota, rather than characterizing the genome of each species of microorganism. Identifying the most abundant genes can help predict the function of the gut microbiome as a whole.

Changes in metabolic blood markers

The researchers compared changes in metabolic markers in the weight-loss group and the non-weight-loss group using blood samples taken before and after the weight-loss intervention. They found that adiponectin levels were higher in the group that lost weight compared to the group that maintained their weight. The hormone adiponectin is secreted by fat, and an increase in this protein is linked to weight loss.

The level of six proteins, which scientists have previously shown to be associated with inflammation, obesity and other metabolic disorders, also decreased in the weight-loss group. Therefore, weight loss was linked to improved metabolic and immune performance of people.

The intestinal microbiota: an important factor in weight loss

The researchers found that there was no correlation between the extent of weight loss and baseline dietary habits or blood metabolite levels. KIT ligand, an obesity-related protein, was positively linked to resistance to weight loss.

However, participants' baseline BMI was related to a number of baseline characteristics. Although the researchers found no correlation between microbiome composition and weight loss, the levels of 31 microbiome genes were linked to weight loss. In other words, rather than baseline dietary habits or levels of metabolites and proteins in the blood, the genetic profile of the microbiome was a better predictor of weight loss. “The gut microbiome is a major player in modulating the success or failure of a weight loss intervention,” concludes lead author Christian Diener, Ph.D.

Prevotella bacteria encourage weight loss.

In the weight loss group, the most common class of microbiome genes was those related to bacterial cell wall synthesis. Cell wall synthesis increases during bacterial replication. The researchers found that the group that lost weight actually had a higher rate of bacterial replication than the group that did not lose weight. Additionally, Prevotella bacteria were largely responsible for the increased replication rate in the weight-loss group.

According to previous studies, people with higher levels of Prevotella in the gut are more likely to lose weight when following a high-fiber diet.