Comment in response to the The Times article dated 7 May 2009

Source: Taking probiotics during pregnancy 'can reduce obesity in mothers'

This article discusses very interesting research demonstrating that probiotic bacteria reduce central obesity and body fat percentage. This research showed that taking probiotics may help reduce weight gain after pregnancy. Future research by the same team may also show that the children born of mothers taking probiotics will not gain weight later in life. In my opinion probiotics could help prevent weight gain but the problem with this type of research is that there are so many variables within diet and lifestyle that results could be misleading. Nevertheless it is an interesting proposition.

Probiotics are beneficial bacteria which are essential for gut health. The most important of these are Lactobacillus found in the small intestine and Bifidobacterium found in the colon. The balance of bacteria in the gut can be disrupted by poor diet, infections, parasites and antibiotics. When an imbalance occurs the result can be diarrhoea, constipation and more serious gut disorders so it is very important to ensure that the balance is right.

There is research to show that obese people have different microbial populations from lean people and that obese people have low bifidobacterium populations. Research has also shown that changing the gut microbial balance may affect metabolism and glucose balance which in turn could affect weight gain. These facts point to the possibility that changing the bacterial balance in the gut could help reduce obesity.

The bacterial balance in the gut can be restored by taking probiotic supplements. (I am not referring to supermarket yogurt drink variety but rather a high concentration supplement in capsule form.) It is also helpful to eat pre-biotic foods or supplements which help beneficial bacteria to flourish. There is such a range of quality and concentration of supplements available in the market place that it is essential to get advice from a nutritional therapist or other health professional as to which probiotic is the best one for your circumstances.

References
http://www.nutraingredients.com/Research/Probiotics-may-help-women-regain-their-figures-after-pregnancy

Lipski Elizabeth, (2004) Digestive Wellness, McGraw Hill, New York

The Weight Management Foundation Nutritional Therapist: Cathy Castle BSc, Dip ION