Probiotics: how adding bugs to your belly can make it smaller

August 19, 2016 Ashley 0 Comments

We hear many a great reason why we should invite probiotics into our diets.

I mean, sure, they help augment the microbial variety in your digestive tract.

And, yeah, they’ll make you feel more comfortable if you’re prone to colonic or nausea problems.

(Mmm. Scream queen’s not lying. They help with that, too.)

But, even if you aren’t suffering from glaring gastronomical maladies, that microbial infusion just might still be the right choice for you. Why? Well, studies show that they may aid in mitigating other seemingly unrelated issues – including your weight loss endeavors. You see, according to research efforts that’ve been done on the topic, a proper probiotic regimen can do a litany of things. It can improve your blood sugar regulation. It can change your dietary proclivities for the better. It can even positively hijack your hunger hormones. That’s right – putting the right biota in your belly can help regulate leptin sensitivity (which is that one important hormone that determines whether your appetite is abstemious, average, or voracious on a third trimester kinda level).

In fact, in one study done (published in the British Journal of Nutrition), women lost nearly twice the amount of weight after taking probiotic pills for a mere three months. (To be specific, that was 9.7 pounds – versus 5.7 pounds dropped with a placebo pill.)

But here’s the legitimate kicker:

After the test’s termination, the woman who had taken the fake placebo pills, did indeed stay at their new weight. (Way to go power o’ suggestion – even though their loss was less.) However, the group who had ingested the actual probiotic, had something magnificent happen. They continued to to see the scale numbers drop, losing nearly a couple more pounds on average after the fact. And why? Well, it all has to do with the types of micro-critters that’d taken over their tummies’ landscapes. At the experiment’s end, the chicks who’d ingested the culture in pill form, had significantly diminished the number of intestinal bacteria that correlates with obesity. And, as you might expect, fewer obesity bugs mean fewer obesity habits happening. What’s more, researchers tend to believe that the additional bacteria made the walls of their intestines less permeable. And why’s that matter? Because it means that molecules like those that induce obesity and diabetes have more trouble accessing your bloodstream in the first place.

Alright, so now that we’re convinced, what are some good sources of probiotics?

Well, there’re heaps offered at your local grocer.

(Though, for the best picks, Wegman’s or Whole Foods’s your best bet.)

As mentioned, among others, above – there’s sauerkraut, kombucha, and even fermented soy products. I love all of these – including that vegan kimchi my friend introduced me to a while ago. But, sometimes, when I want to make my obligatory health “fun”, I’ll go for the treat-yoself concoction option. Every once in a while, I’ll get my dose of microbes in the form of a frozen potion – at the local Tropical Smoothie. Not only can I get all my healthy kale and avo and fruity goodness (just make sure they hold the sugar if you’re serious about plotting weight loss), but I can also add in boosters like B12, soy protein, and – yes – even a probiotic option.

So, if you own every vitamin in the supplement cupboard – but your body’s still bugging you…

Then mayhaps add some healthy belly bugs to your diet.

Your waistline’ll thank you soon.