Probiotics, Bariatric Surgery and Weight Loss
A Little Yogurt Goes a Long Way
Bariatric surgery is the medical treatment of obesity through the surgical removal of a portion of the stomach and bowel. After the stomach portion and bowel have been removed, the new stomach pouch is attached to the new bowel portion to create a new stomach the size of an egg.
Adults who take probiotics, the healthy bacteria found in yogurt, on a daily basis after having bariatric surgery lose more weight than bariatric patients who do not take probiotics according to a study.
At the start of the study, researchers were looking to learn the effects of probiotics on the digestive system of bariatric patients. What researchers found were patients who lost more weight than expected thanks to the regular regime of probiotics.
Measuring Losses
The study involved the measurement of pre-surgery weight, post-surgery weight and weight at the three-month and six-month markers. The patients taking the daily probiotics were able to lose 70% of their excess body weight in the same time it took patients taking the placebo to lose 66% of their excess weight. For bariatric patients, the majority of the weight loss will occur within the first six months. This means the goal weight can be achieved more quickly without an additional calorie reduction.
The Results
The amount of lactobacillus (the active cultures present in probiotics) consumed by the patients was 2.4 billion or more per day. The most common way to consume lactobacillus is through fresh yogurt. Researchers noted that consuming enough probiotics with yogurt alone may pose a problem and thus certified supplements would be required to meet the amount of probiotics given to patients in the study.
The link between probiotics and weight loss, according to researchers, may be beneficial for all overweight and obese individuals looking to boost their weight loss efforts.
In the United States, nearly 35% of adults are deemed obese. Obesity is far reaching and has spread into the teenage and child sectors of the population accounting for more than 15% of all teens and children.
Exercise and Bariatric Surgery
While bariatric patients are encouraged to participate in some form of daily exercise after surgery, the case study did not reveal if the patients in this study completed a daily exercise regime.
Reference Materials
Doheny, Kathleen. "Probiotics Help Adult Weight Loss After Bariatric Surgery." U.S. News and World Report. 22 May 2008. HealthyDay. 4 Oct. 2008 < >.
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Published by Summer Banks - Featured Contributor in Health & Wellness
Summer Banks is a medical assistant with four years college nursing education. She is a senior health writer for Dietspotlight.com and Featured Contributor in Women s Health, Parenting and Dating & Relations... View profile
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