Your gut plays a role in many areas of your health. It influences your immune system, produces vitamins, and much more. The bacteria in your gut can also influence how food is digested and feelings of fullness, which can directly affect your weight. An unhealthy gut can lead to weight gain and make it difficult to reach your weight loss goals. Keep reading to learn more about the role of gut health in shedding pounds.
What Is the Gut Microbiome?
Your gut contains trillions of bacteria, and these bacteria are collectively known as the gut microbiome. There are hundreds of different types of bacteria in your intestines. Many of them perform essential tasks to keep you healthy, while some others can cause disease. Examples of important tasks performed by your gut microbiome include producing certain vitamins such as vitamin K and communicating with your immune system to fight off infection. Your microbiome also produces chemicals that make you feel full and influences how you digest certain foods.
Gut Health and Digestion
Your gut health can play a role in shedding pounds by affecting digestion. Gut bacteria line your intestines, which means they come into contact with the foods you eat. This can affect which nutrients your intestines absorb and how energy is stored in your body. Lower gut bacteria diversity has been associated with obesity. This may be because of the effect bacteria have on the digestion of various foods. For example, your body can’t digest fiber, but certain gut bacteria can. When these bacteria digest fiber, they produce chemicals that benefit your gut health and may promote weight loss. Studies have found that people who consume more fiber tend to have lower weight, which is likely due to the role gut bacteria play in digesting fiber. Additionally, your gut bacteria can digest certain antioxidants called flavonoids, which may prevent weight gain. Your microbiome can also influence the absorption of dietary fats in the intestines, which may influence how fat is stored in the body.
Gut Health and Inflammation
If you struggle with shedding pounds, inflammation may be a factor. Inflammation is caused by your body activating your immune system to fight off infection, and it can also be the result of an unhealthy diet. For example, eating too much sugar, fat, or calories can cause elevated inflammatory chemicals in the blood and fat tissue, which could contribute to weight gain. Your gut health plays a large role in inflammation. Some species of gut bacteria produce chemicals such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS), which cause inflammation when they enter the bloodstream. Having too much of these bacteria can increase inflammation and contribute to insulin resistance and weight gain. Other species of gut bacteria can reduce inflammation and possibly prevent weight gain, such as Bifidobacteria and Akkermansia. These bacteria support a healthy gut barrier and prevent inflammatory chemicals from entering the bloodstream. This is how gut health can influence inflammation and, as a result, body weight.
Gut Health and Appetite
Your body produces hormones that affect your appetite. Studies have found that different types of bacteria in your gut can influence how much of these hormones are produced, affecting whether you feel hungry or full. When certain gut bacteria break down fiber, they produce chemicals called short-chain fatty acids, one of which is propionate. One study discovered that higher levels of propionate increased levels of hormones that influence hunger. This reduced food intake as well as weight gain. Other studies have found that taking prebiotic supplements, which are then fermented by gut bacteria, can similarly affect appetite. Feeling full and less hungry can help you reach your goal of shedding pounds.
Improve Your Gut Health to Support Shedding Pounds
If your goal is shedding pounds, caring for your gut may help. To improve your gut health, try eating a balanced diet that includes whole grains, fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, probiotics, and polyphenols. You can further improve digestion and nutrient absorption by taking digestive enzyme supplements such as Easy Digest. To add diversity and quantity to your gut microbiome, consider taking probiotic supplements. This can help improve your gut health and help you shed those extra pounds.
