Do probiotics really help with weight loss and reducing belly fat?

A study on Lactobacillus plantarum LP28 showed participants experienced reductions in BMI, body fat, and waist circumference. Another study using L. plantarum TENSIA showed reductions in body weight, BMI, and fat mass. A study on Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota (LcS) showed that participants consuming this probiotic lost body weight and had increased HDL cholesterol levels.

Some probiotics might also prevent weight gain

Some studies also focus on probiotics preventing weight gain. Human research in this area is scarce, with most studies done on animal subjects like mice. Preliminary human studies have been conducted, but their results are inconsistent.

If probiotics help prevent weight gain, one reason might be that they contribute to gut microbiome diversity.

A review involving six research articles examined probiotic use for preventing weight gain. It was found that products containing multiple Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus species are more likely to show positive results compared to others.

February 7, 2025 | 6:02 am