It’s no secret that probiotics play an essential role in maintaining optimum gut health, but they’re often associated with maintaining a healthy weight, too. The question is, can probiotics help with weight loss? And can probiotics support healthy weight management? And the answer to this is ‘yes.’

The research into the connection between healthy weight management and probiotics is ongoing, but, while evidence isn’t completely definitive at this point, the link between probiotics and weight management is becoming clearer.

Here’s what we  know so far:

Probiotics and healthy weight management

1. Our gut microbiota and weight are intrinsically linked

Looking after our gut is essential if we want to achieve optimum health, and our gut microbiota plays a key role in the function of our metabolism, as well as our fat storage and energy balance. When our gut microbiome is disrupted or unbalanced, the likelihood of developing concerning health complications such as obesity and metabolic disorders is increased.

2. How probiotics can support healthy weight management

There are a bunch of different ways in which probiotics have been proven to support the maintenance of a healthy weight, including (but not limited to) the following:

• Probiotics effectively improve gut barrier function, which has been linked with preventing weight-related health concerns, including obesity
• Probiotics have been proven to help moderate our appetite hormones, ultimately removing the temptation to overindulge
• Probiotics help elevate our body’s ability to effectively excrete unnecessary fats through the passing of stools

3. The finer details and considerations

• While some probiotics have been proven to help manage weight, the effectiveness of the probiotics we consume varies depending on the strain. Ultimately, consumption of certain probiotics may support our healthy weight goals, but others won’t make much difference at all
• It’s important to remember that while probiotics can help us to maintain a healthy weight, the effectiveness is very much subject to our lifestyle. In essence, consuming probiotics won’t make an enormous difference to our weight if we aren’t considering the fundamentals: engaging in frequent exercise and committing to a healthy, well-balanced diet
• The long-term health benefits of probiotics and the link between probiotics and weight management are still ongoing, so while probiotics have been proven to play their part, there is still plenty more research to be done

The key takeaway… 

Probiotics are a beneficial addition to our diet and lifestyles, but while probiotics may help support our weight management goals, it’s important that we don’t solely rely upon them. Maintaining a healthy weight requires a great deal of commitment and there are various different lifestyle factors involved. Before considering probiotics, we must look at the fundamentals; eating a well-balanced diet and engaging in regular exercise. Once we have made the necessary lifestyle changes, we can look to incorporate probiotics and hopefully enhance our body’s ability to manage our weight.