Would you have thought that the gut bacteria could be the decisive factor behind your possible weight loss? No, right? There are probably instances where you have done everything in your realm of possibility to lose weight by doing rigorous exercise and consuming a proper healthy diet. But everything in vain, right?
Scientists have found that this restriction in the weight loss could be very well related to the presence and function of the bacteria in the gut of an individual. A preliminary study (R) conducted by the researchers from the Mayo Clinic have suggested the possibility of the functions of specific gut bacteria to be the reason behind the hindrance caused to one’s weight loss even after their adherence to strict physical activity and healthy diet.
The co-senior author of the study, Dr Purna Kashyap who is an M.B.B.S and a renowned gastroenterologist at Mayo Clinic emphasised that the concept of weight loss varies from person to person and while some tend to not lose weight that effectively even with changes in their calorific consumption and physical activity.
Another co-senior author of the study, Dr Vandana Nehra, who is an M.D and a renowned gastroenterologist at Mayo Clinic further stated saying that while the activity of the gut bacteria to break down food into simpler pieces for better consumption is actually good for us because it provides us with additional energy, the same might inflict hindrances in one’s potency of losing weight.
This was the basis of the study in which Dr Kashyap and Dr Nehra and their colleagues further indulged themselves in. The primary objective of the study was to source the possible links between the functions of the gut bacteria with the possible arrest in the process of weight loss.
The study has been conducted in the preliminary stage with only 26 participants as of now. The researchers collected and analysed the gut bacteria samples that were enrolled in the Mayo Clinic Obesity Treatment Research Program between the time frame of August and September 2013.
With the comparative analysis between the gut bacteria, the researchers concluded the fact that the people who lost their weight with the years actually had a different gut bacteria presence in comparison to the people who did not. The bacteria Phascolarctobacterium was the one which was regarded as the one that aided in the process of weight loss while the bacterium Dialister was the one which ended up being a hindrance in the process of weight loss. The increased ability of using an array of carbohydrates was exactly what contributed to the further failure in successive weight loss.
Accumulating all the information and conclusions, the researchers drew the string between the possible link between the gut bacteria being a possible determinant in the weight loss in an individual. Dr Kashyap finally stated saying that these findings are just at a preliminary stage and while the same will need an extensive and comprehensive study to cement all of these claims, they are glad that they now have a direction to head towards without any further hindrance their way.
