Obese patients often suffer from the effect of yo-yo - weight gain after refusing a diet.
There are two explanations: on the one hand, patients return to old eating habits, and on the other, bacteria stimulate the formation of fat. The results of an Israeli study speak in favor of a second explanation.
Do intestinal bacteria remember past weight?
Scientists at the Weizmann Institute in Israel found in studies that some gut bacteria explain the "yo-yo effect." Doctors published the results of the study in the journal Nature.
Are you one of those people who quickly gain weight after a diet? If so, it could be due to bacteria in the gut. It seems that they retain a kind of "memory of the past weight", experts say.
Yo-yo effect caused by long-term changes in intestinal bacteria
A clinical study was performed on mice. The results show that the so-called yo-yo effect is not just a matter of recurring unhealthy eating habits. It is associated with long-term changes in the intestinal bacteria that cause obesity.
With obesity, a change in the intestinal microbiome upsets the metabolism. Experts suggest that the results will help develop effective methods of weight loss. The observed effect may explain why some people have serious problems with weight control after a diet.
A study in mice studied the effects of diet changes
In a study, obese mice were transferred from a high-fat diet to a balanced diet.
Researchers found that earlier in obese mice there were differences in gut bacteria that increase weight gain. When bacteria from the obesity group were introduced into the intestines of control mice, they also gained weight faster.
How long does the intestinal microflora change?
Researchers explain that the positive effect of a diet does not occur immediately, but after a few months or years. In case of obesity, the rate of formation of new bacterial colonies can take up to 5 years.
In mice, microflora changed very slowly. It took patients 6 months to restore the normal composition of the microbes, as in the control group.
This period of time is about a quarter of the life of the mouse in captivity, scientists explain. Doctors have predicted that a comparable period of time can be between months and years in people.
Are antibiotics required for successful microflora change?
If the human microbiome undergoes the same changes as in mice, obese people can be helped. According to experts, if the changes in the microbiome are canceled, this can help maintain a healthy body weight achieved after the diet. Consuming some probiotic yogurt is not enough.
The composition of intestinal bacteria is difficult to change. Researchers explain that ultimately, treatment will require antibiotics to kill an existing population of bacteria. The authors say that the rate of weight gain can be predicted based on the composition of the mouse microbiome.
80% of people with prolonged obesity return to their previous weight after a diet. Other studies have already shown that people with prolonged obesity gain weight in 80% of cases within 12 months.
What bacteria reduce body weight?
A team of scientists found that Parasutterellaexcrementihominis and Marinilabiliaceae reduce body weight. They have a protective effect against inflammation in the hypothalamus - the part of the brain where the "hunger center" is located.
The authors suspect that the bacterial composition in the gut is associated with brain inflammation. Scientific evidence suggests that the axis of the "intestine-brain" lead to an increase in body weight.
Can inflammation be prevented through nutrition?
A specific dietary recommendation cannot be inferred from the study. However, scientists were able to detect a negative relationship between the parasite bacterium and fat intake.
Researchers have not found any connection between the presence of two bacteria in the intestine and high intake of proteins or carbohydrates. Reducing fat intake helps to increase the population of “beneficial” bacteria within 2 to 4 years.
