Probiotics have been found in numerous studies to benefit overweight people in positively effecting insulin resistance, blood sugar maintenance and metabolism by changing the bacterial colonies in the gut.
A 12 week study published in March 2017 in the Journal of Pediatric Gastrointestinal Nutrition (64:413-17) found that probiotics benefited children and adolescents with nonalcohololic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). NAFLD is prevelant in obese children and up to 80% of obese adults.
The randomized, triple-blind study, researchers evaluated the effect of probiotics or a placebo in 64 obese children with sonographically confirmed NAFLD. The intervention group were given a daily probiotic of Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium lactis, Bifidobacterium bifidum and Lactobacillus rhamnosus.
The children given the probiotic experienced significant reductions in mean levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), from 32.8 to 23.1 U/L, and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), from 32.2 to 24.3 U/L. In The probiotic group, mean cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triglycerides and waist circumference improved. Following the intervention, normal liver sonography was observed in 17 (53.1%) of children ingesting the probiotic, but only 5 (16.5%) of those receiving placebo.
What does this mean? Overweight adults and children would greatly benefit from taking a high quality probiotic in addition to regular exercise and eating a clean diet of fruits, vegetables, protein, healthy fats and water… avoiding grains, processed foods and other beverages.
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