Obesity and Weight Management

CURRENT NEWS

The microbiome, the complex ecosystem of microorganisms that live in and on the human body, has been linked to a variety of health conditions, including obesity and diabetes. In recent years, researchers have been exploring the microbiome’s role in these conditions, in order to better understand the connection between them. By looking at the microbiome’s role in obesity and diabetes, we can gain insights into their causes and possible treatments.

Read more about this topic: 

"Exploring the Microbiome's Role in Obesity and Diabetes"
from September 30, 2023 for DiabetesInControl.com 

Scientific Research

It was only in 2006 that the first major research was reported which showed that a change in the gut bacterial community was associated with obesity. These early studies were done in mice, but human studies quickly showed the same pattern change.

Microbial ecology: human gut microbes associated with obesity

This is a very recent study that evaluated the Prebiotin WM formula in a randomized double-blind study in obese females. The findings showed a “huge” positive change in the bacterial gut mix but also showed solid changes in the BMI and weight.

Lessons from an exploratory, double-blind intervention study with inulin-type fructans in obese women

This is another randomized blinded study on overweight females with a basal metabolic index of between 25 and 35. Significant improvement in metabolic and obesity parameters were seen.

Oligofructose-enriched inulin improves some inflammatory markers and metabolic endotoxemia in women with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A randomized controlled clinical trial.

This Chinese author is an outstanding researcher and the publication, Nature Review/Microbiology is very well respected. He outlines how quickly the abnormal gut bacterial mix has gone from a “correlation” where the findings of an abnormal bacterial mix and obesity were found together but not a cause and effect. Then in a very short time, other researchers have done just that, showing “causality”, a way that this abnormal gut dysbiosis can produce obesity.

The gut microbiota and obesity: from correlation to causality

Better eating behavior seems to be related to enhanced diversity in the gut microbiota or bacteria collection. One simple method of making this change are prebiotics.

Prebiotics may enhance favorable eating behavior

This is a very recent article that reviews what happens to the bacterial makeup of the gut with obesity. These are very clear cut cause and effect results. The article closes with “….probiotics and prebiotics seem to be the most effective tools”

 Blogs

	When Your Teens Are Obese: What You Can Do By Gabriele Amersbach, Prebiotin Science Writer
Reducing Obesity-Induced Inflammation: Men's Health Month Edition By Anne Mercer Larson
	One Easy Step - Lose Weight with Prebiotin By Frank W. Jackson, MD, Founder and Chairman Emeritus (Updated by Gabriele Amersbach)
Dysbiosis: The Reason You're Not Losing Weight By the Prebiotin Team
	Smart Diet Swaps By the Prebiotin Team

Diet

Prebiotin Weight Management is designed to be used with every weight loss or obesity treatment program. To get the full benefit of Prebiotin Weight Management it is important that you understand exactly how it fits into your overall digestive health.

Gut Bacteria or the Microbiome

A remarkable finding of modern science is the fact that the lower bowel or colon is really a health organ. We have known for a long time that a huge number of bacteria live there, actually ten times the number of the total cells in the human body. The remarkable new findings indicate that this bacteria factory has many health benefits. But only if the mix of bacteria is favorable, meaning many more good bacteria than bad ones.

The Microbiome and Obesity

A startling recent discovery has been that most overweight people have a bad mix of colon bacteria. This bad mix technically is called dysbiosis. What causes this type of bad bacterial mix to occur? It is the type of diet, often high meat and saturated fat that overweight people have eaten over many years. There is still much that is not known but here is what we do know:

The Bad Effects of Dysbiosis in Obesity

• It is normal to make some calories in the colon. However, when bad bacteria, again called dysbiosis, are present, you make about twice the number of calories in the colon and they are all absorbed. That’s right! You get some calories from the food you eat, but you also make additional calories in the colon. You make much more when you are overweight and have dysbiosis in the colon.

• Leaky gut. When you have bad bacteria and dysbiosis in the colon, the colon wall itself weakens and allows toxins, unwanted chemicals, and even bacteria parts to seep into the blood stream, reach your liver and eventually your general circulation. Toxins are bad for everyone, especially for the overweight individual. They lead to chronic inflammation throughout the body and contribute to high blood pressure and heart disease. They contribute to obesity.

• Blood sugar.  Dysbiosis is clearly related to increased insulin resistance and difficulty in blood sugar control. Medical trials have shown that correcting dysbiosis with prebiotics makes diabetes 2 easier to control.

• Colon and breast cancer are associated with obesity and dysbiosis. There is much research being done to unravel the cause and effect. However, you are in a different and worse risk group when you are overweight and have dysbiosis.

Prebiotics

Prebiotics are not probiotics. A probiotic is a live bacteria that you take by mouth as in yogurt or a pill, in the hope that it will make a beneficial change in the digestive track. A prebiotic, on the other hand, is a plant fiber, a specialized form of soluble fiber that has distinct actions within the colon. Simply put, these fibers are the fuel that drives the very best bacteria already in the colon to vigorously multiply. We know these good bacteria can and do grow and divide every 20 minutes if there is enough nourishment around. Keeping a rich supply of the best prebiotics in the colon is simply the healthiest thing you can do in order to prevent dysbiosis in the colon.

Prebiotic Health Benefits in the Overweight Person

It is quite surprising that so much medical research has occurred so quickly in this area. So, here is what we know:

• A predominance of good bacteria in the gut makes fewer calories than when bad bacteria are predominant.

• There is a hunger hormone made in the wall of the stomach. Less of this hormone is made when prebiotics are a rich part of your diet. You have less hunger.

• There are satiety or fullness hormones made in the wall of the small intestine. Prebiotics increase the release of these beneficial hormones to give you an earlier sense of fullness when you eat.

• A leaky gut is corrected and the passage of toxins and other unwanted materials into the blood is slowed down or stopped.

• Blood sugar control is better and there is less insulin resistance.

• Inflammation in the gut and body is reduced.

• Believe it or not, when a good bacterial balance is present in the gut, different chemical signals are sent to the brain via the blood stream. Positive behavioral emotions seem to occur, perhaps even changing your eating habits. Mood and emotions seem to improve. This is early but very startling research.

Prebiotics and Prebiotin Weight Management

Prebiotin Weight Management is our specially formulated composition which is the premium prebiotic available. It consists of 2 prebiotics, oligofructose and inulin. Oligofructose is not fructose. Different health benefits occur in different parts of the colon. Each of the 2 prebiotics acts in a separate part of the colon to give you the complete total coverage that others do not provide. It is why we call Prebiotin the Full Spectrum Prebiotic. The images below show where they work.

Your Own Diet

Weight loss and management must be a complete package. Changing the bacterial makeup of the colon will add a significant impact to the food program you are following. This program can and should be one that makes sense for you and your own situation. It could be a dietary program at a hospital, doctors office, a book like South Beach Diet, or an established program like Weight Watchers or NutriSystem. Whichever one you are following, it will be significantly more effective when your own microbiome, your very bacterial makeup within your gut, works together with your own dietary weight loss program.

Suggested 4 Week Prebiotin Program

• Week 1: ½ scoop or 1 packet (2 grams) once a day
• Week 2:  ½ scoop or 1 packet (2 grams)  in the morning,  ½ scoop or 1 packet (2 grams)  in the mid-afternoon
• Week 3:  1 level scoop or 2 packets in the morning. ½ scoop or 1 packet (2 grams) in the mid-afternoon
• Week 4:  1 level scoop or 2 packets in the morning. 1 scoop or 2 packets in the mid afternoon

Thereafter, adjust the dosage to your own response. Remember, you cannot seriously overdose. In general, you can never get too much fiber. If mild bloating should occur, simply wait a day and proceed with a reduced dose. Prebiotin WM will tend to encourage an acidity within the colon. This is very healthy. When this occurs, smelly rectal gas or flatus does not develop. When rectal gas no longer has a bad smell, you know you are at the right dosage level.

The Science

There is now an enormous amount of research that has occurred on the gut microbiome. The forefront of this research has been looking directly at the microbiome and bacterial makeup and its relationship to the development of obesity and overweight. As with everything we say on our website, there must be good science behind it first. Medical credibility is our foremost goal. That is our promise.

Antibiotics

Antibiotics are wonder drugs when you have a severe infection. However, they should not be used indiscriminately such as for the virus-induced common cold where they have no effect. Further, it is possible that low levels of antibiotics that farmers use to fatten animals before processing may still be present in the meats, poultry and even milk that you buy. Antibiotics generally are very destructive to the good colon bacteria makeup. Avoid them and question your physician on their use. Ask for antibiotic free foods at your store. Your food store will respond to these requests. Buy natural or organic milk that is labeled “no antibiotics”.

Prebiotic Side Effects

Prebiotics are natural plant fibers. As such they should be part of your diet program since almost all of them can be part of a weight loss program. As such there are no serious side effects. Some societies can eat up to 50 grams or more per day of fiber without problems. If excessive fiber is ingested it is possible that excess and completely harmless gas and bloating might occur. Simply reduce the dose and continue on your program.

Fiber Content of Food

Should you want to learn how much fiber, both insoluble and soluble, you are eating each day, go to our Fiber Content of Food section and find out for yourself.

Testimonials

Ron and Sal, thanks for introducing us to Prebiotin! David and I have noticed amazing effects since starting on it some three years ago. Initially, the appeal was 'regularity', but the benefits extend far beyond. We have found that our healthier guts have lead to an increase in a healthier immune system--neither of us has had so much as a sniffle in the past two years.

Both of us have been able to maintain a significant weight loss and lower blood pressure over the past year and a half. And, we both have much more energy! We refer to it as 'poop' medicine and have made it a part of our morning routine!

- Pamela Hopper, Carlisle PA