A new analysis has suggested that probiotics may have a role to play in helping obese people lose weight.
Earlier studies have reported the effects of prebiotics and synbiotics supplementation in lipid profile and glucose homeostasis, but an analysis of clinical trials in overweight or obese individuals has not been carried out. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of prebiotics and synbiotics on plasma lipid profile, fasting insulin and fasting glucose in adults who were overweight or obese.
A total of 13 trials representing 513 adults with a Body Mass Index of more than 25 were included in the study. The researchers found that prebiotic supplementation reduced plasma total cholesterol concentrations and reduced triglycerides, as well as increasing HDL-c concentrations in diabetic trials. Synbiotic supplementation reduced plasma fasting insulin and triglycerides concentrations.
What this meant, the researchers concluded in the journal Clinical Nutrition, was that the improvement of the evaluated parameters supports prebiotics and synbiotics supplementation as an adjuvant therapy in obesity-related comorbidities, such as dyslipidemia and insulin resistance.