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Taste for Life, By Victoria Dolby Toews, July 2011

Do you have a few stubborn pounds hanging around? If so, consider the state of your gut. Trillions of bacteria make their home there. Although some of these bacteria can cause disease, most are “good bug.” In supplement form, they are known as probiotic bacteria. They perform many necessary functions that contribute to your well-being.

“Probiotics may provide the most novel approach yet for long-term weight maintenance,” says Ann Louise Gittleman, PhD, CNS, author of Fat Flush for Life. Research shows that there is a strong connection between obesity and the levels of certain types of bacteria in the GI tract, she explains. For example, last year a double-blind study found that when overweight adults drank fermented milk (kefir) with added probiotics every day for three months, they lost more pounds and inches around their waist than those who drank a fermented milk without added probiotics.

Probiotics help you stay lean in other ways too, says nutritionist Linda Berry, DC. When consumed, probiotics can produce numerous B vitamins, which our bodies can then absorb. “The extra B vitamins from probiotics contribute to a calmer mood and reduce compulsive eating habits like binging,” Berry says.

Probiotics also speed transit time so food doesn’t hang around in your gut too long, allowing toxins to build. “If you’ve got a toxic mess brewing in your colon, your cells will hold water to dilute the toxins, and that makes you puffy and sluggish,” says Berry.

While active-culture foods and beverages such a yogurt, sauerkraut, and kefir can contribute to a healthy gut, keep in mind that these food sources only contain colony forming units (CFUs) in the millions, not billions, says Dr. Gittleman. She recommends supplementing with at least 10 to 20 billions CFUs if your goal is weight loss. But keep in mind that taking more than this amount can lead to constipation. She also recommends choosing a product that provides a mix of bacteria from both the acidophilus and bifidobacteria families.

Considering all of the other benefits of probiotics (from boosting immune function and preventing traveler’s diarrhea to controlling the overgrowth of vaginal yeast), probiotic supplementation with weight loss in mind is a no-risk proposition that pays dividends to almost all aspects of your health.

Taste for Life >>