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Microbes & Immunity Probiotics & obesity

Gut microbiota analysis revealed a decrease in intervention consisted of a hypocaloric diet supplemented
Megamonas and an increase in Parabacteroides, which were with yogurt containing L. acidophilus LA-5 and B. lactis
linked to changes in body composition. Limitations of the BB-12. The results showed no significant differences in
study included the absence of a placebo group, a small weight reduction or anthropometric measures (e.g., BMI,
sample size, short duration, and a lack of measurements for waist circumference, visceral adipose tissue) between the
fecal SCFAs and serum zonulin. Further research is needed probiotic and control groups, consistent with findings
to explore the role of Parabacteroides, its effects on type 2 from similar prior studies. 24
diabetes, and its long-term benefits in larger, more diverse Potential benefits on lipid profiles, insulin sensitivity,
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populations. In the study conducted by Michael et al., and immune responses were noted, although variability
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the combination of L. acidophilus CUL60 and CUL21, L. in results may be attributed to differences in probiotic
plantarum CUL66, B. bifidum CUL20, and Bifidobacterium strain survivability, yogurt manufacturing conditions, and
animalis subsp. lactis CUL34 resulted in clinically participant adherence. Limitations of the study included a
significant weight reduction in 40% of overweight adults in
the treatment group, with 70% achieving at least a 3% weight small sample size (particularly among males), a short study
loss over 9 months. A weight loss of 5% or more, linked duration, and uncertainties regarding adherence to yogurt
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to improvements in glycemic index and plasma lipid levels, consumption and the viability of live probiotics due to
highlights the study’s promising results. The study involved transport and storage conditions. Future research should
70 overweight Bulgarian adults (BMI 25 – 29.9), with half focus on longer study durations, larger and more diverse
receiving 50 billion CFU/day for 9 months. Notably, the populations, and controlled conditions. In addition,
placebo group showed no significant difference in weight it is crucial to investigate probiotic survivability and
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loss during the first 6 months but experienced weight functionality within the gastrointestinal environment.
gain between months 6 and 9, possibly due to holiday- A study by Khan et al. investigated the effects of a
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related factors. Meanwhile, the treatment group sustained dairy-based multi-strain probiotic community (MSPC) on
favorable outcomes, showing statistically significant effects obesity-related gut microbiota using an in vitro CoMiniGut
during the latter period. This underscores the potential intestinal model. The MSPC consists of 19 lactic acid
of the probiotic combination as a therapeutic agent for bacteria strains including Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium
obesity-related metabolic disorders. 22 strains. The study showed that MSPC reduced harmful
A 24-week study by Kanazawa et al. assessed the effects bacteria in lean samples and increased beneficial ones in
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of a symbiotic comprising Lacticaseibacillus paracasei strain obese samples, improving microbial diversity. The findings
Shirota (LcS), Bifidobacterium breve strain Yakult (BbrY), suggest MSPC’s potential for addressing obesity-related
and galactooligosaccharides (GOS) in obese patients with gut dysbiosis, though further research is needed. 25
type 2 diabetes mellitus. The study included a control group Table 2 summarizes the effects of various Lactobacillus
and a synbiotic group, with data collected at baseline, strains on parameters including BMI, weight, visceral fat,
12 weeks, and 24 weeks. Key findings showed a significant blood glucose, SUA, lipid profiles, SCFAs, gut microbiota
increase in Bifidobacteriaceae, particularly Bifidobacterium diversity, and epithelial barrier integrity, highlighting the
adolescentis and Bifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum, as strain-specific impacts on metabolic and inflammatory
well as elevated fecal acetic, butyric, and lactic acid levels in biomarkers.
the synbiotic group at 24 weeks. Decreases were observed
in bacterial families such as Bacteroidaceae, Marinifilaceae, 4. Discussion
Fusobacteriaceae, and Monoglobaceae. However, no Each study included in this review examines various
significant differences were noted in inflammatory parameters to assess the effectiveness of probiotics in
markers or glycemic control (HbA1c) between the groups. addressing obesity and its related metabolic disorders.
The study highlighted research gaps, including the lack These parameters commonly include BMI, waist
of evidence on synbiotics’ effects on gut barrier function, circumference, visceral adiposity (with some studies also
plasma inflammatory markers (e.g., tumor necrosis evaluating hepatic fat to assess the risk of hepatosteatosis),
factor-alpha [TNF-α]), and bacterial translocation to the
blood. Future research should explore these aspects to body weight, fasting blood glucose levels, SUA, SCFAs, and
better understand the impact of synbiotics on metabolic gut dysbiosis.
and immune responses in patients with type 2 diabetes BMI, which is calculated as the ratio of weight to
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mellitus. Banach et al. conducted a 12-week study height (kg/m ), is commonly used as an indicator of risk
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involving 54 obese participants, who were divided for cardiometabolic diseases like obesity. Obesity is
1,20
into subgroups matched for height, age, and BMI. The associated with comorbidities such as cardiovascular
Volume 2 Issue 2 (2025) 40 doi: 10.36922/mi.8358