Specific Gut Bacteria May Account For Much Obesity

resistant writes "A limited study from China offers the tantalizing possibility that targeting specific gut bacteria in humans could significantly reduce the scope of an epidemic of obesity in Western countries: 'The endotoxin-producing Enterobacter decreased in relative abundance from 35% of the volunteer's gut bacteria to non-detectable, during which time the volunteer lost 51.4kg of 174.8kg initial weight and recovered from hyperglycemia and hypertension after 23 weeks on a diet of whole grains, traditional Chinese medicinal foods and prebiotics.' As usual, sensationalist reports have been exaggerating the import of this very early investigation, and one wonders about that 'diet of whole grains.' Still, there could be meat in the idea of addressing pathogenic bacteria for the control of excessive weight gain. After all, it wasn't too long ago that a brave scientist insisted in the face of widespread ridicule that peptic ulcers in humans usually are caused by bacterial infections, not by acidic foods."

Comments

Re:Mass-Media Report

[somersault]

I'm pretty sure anyone would lose weight and eliminate unwanted intestinal flora under the intake suggested

Bingo. "Higher" fat, low carb diets don't make you fat. High carb, low fat diets are way more likely to do so. Worse, "low fat" foods often are packed with sugar.

I read about gut flora/fauna a while ago and realised that it may not be purely blood sugar levels affecting my mood. After being on a lower GI diet for a few years and taking probiotics, I'm slightly more able to eat "normal" food again without it affecting my mood so much. Potato still causes noticeable differences though.