loading…
Bifidobacterium longum APC1472 was tested on 6 mice fed a high-fat diet through drinking water for 16 weeks and an unspecified number of human participants for 12 weeks. (Also read: Beware of Obesity During a Pandemic )
The researchers found that the bacteria were associated with decreased body weight, fat depot accumulation and improved glucose tolerance in mice, but did not change the main outcome of BMI or waist-hip ratio of overweight and obese humans.
Although the human participants experienced no change in their appearance, the researchers found that bifidobacterium longum APC1472 had a positive effect on secondary outcomes of fasting blood glucose levels.
In other words, the bacteria are thought to hold promise as a potential supplement for reducing certain markers of obesity such as high blood sugar levels in the morning, a common problem for people with diabetes.
Other trends the researchers observed in obese human participants who were given bifidobacterium longum APC1472 included reduced response to awakening of cortisol or the level of the stress hormone a person experiences upon awakening, as well as reduced secretion of the hunger hormone ghrelin, which naturally limits appetite.
Reported by Fox News, the researchers working on this study suggest that bifidobacterium longum APC1472 could be used to minimize stress eating, if further research proves that the bacteria is effective in supplement form.
“This study is a real team effort and provides important translational evidence that probiotic supplementation can indeed be useful in fighting obesity,” said Professor John Cryan, the study’s senior author. (Also read: Study: Swimming Can Help Prevent Cardiovascular Disease )
“In addition, these findings reinforce the concept of a link between the gut microbiome, metabolic disease, and mental health, which are a growing area of research,” he continued.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 1.9 billion adults were considered overweight in 2016.
(tdy)
– .
