Overweight and obesity, among the most common diseases in the world, contribute to other pathological conditions including cardiovascular disease, cancer, and metabolic syndrome. Overweight and obesity produce changes in the gut microbiota because of altering intestinal permeability (endo-toxemia), stimulating the endocannabinoid system, and increasing the provision of calories. All these alterations must be considered in a treatment strategy to return a patient to homeostasis. Such strategies have the potential not only of improving the health of individuals, but also of enabling enormous savings in the health care system.
Overweight and Obesity Treatment by gut microbiota alteration
Numerous reports refer to beneficial effects of probiotics in overweight or obese individuals. Indigestible oligosaccharides, inulin, lactulose and resistant starch which act as prebiotics, enhance the amount of probiotics and are effective for weight loss. Synbiotic which is the combination of probiotic and prebiotics, is recommended by the physician attending an overweight or obese patient. The intake of postbiotic and para-probiotics also improves the condition of excess body fat.
Morbid obesity can be treated with intestinal microbiota transplantation at a lower cost and with less morbidity than bypasses. For a patient that has already undergone a bypass, probiotics, prebiotics, or synbiotics along with exercise is recommended to continue to control weight by modulating the intestinal microbiota. Of course, the indications of the FDA must be considered when performing intestinal microbiota transplantation.
Conclusion
Dysbiosis is caused by many factors such as stress, diet, medications, and metabolic disorders. Many studies have found that diet, probiotics, prebiotics, symbionts, intestinal microbiota transplantation, and fecal microbiota transplantation can help overweight and obese patients significantly reduce excess body fat.
reference
Tiburcio ÁZ. Obesity, Overweight, and the Microbiome. EC Gastroenterology and Digestive System. 2021;8.
