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According to Wired, the “connection between gut bacteria and obesity has gained some weight.”
Apparently, researchers have found that mice with altered immune systems and metabolic disorders are more likely to overeat. “When microbes from their stomachs were transplanted into other mice, they also become obese.”
“This supports the notion that some of the increase in obesity may be because of changes to gut bacteria,” said Andrew Gewirtz, an Emory University immunologist and co-author of the study, published March 4 in Science.
This isn’t the first time science has pointed to bacteria as a possible cause of obesity, though the research has been largely overlooked. It makes sense, as Wired points out, because there are more bacterial cells in the body than there are human cells. And it’s not just obesity that bacteria affects:
Disturbances to internal bacteria have been linked to asthma, cancer and many autoimmune diseases. Gut flora have also been linked to obesity.
Findings on this gut flora may mean we need to reevaluate our tendency to blame obesity on the low cost and ubiquity of unhealthy foods — people may just be driven to eat a lot of food because of these changes in gut bacteria.
What can we do about it? Well, the exact cause of the metabolic changes isn’t known — however, antibiotics could be to blame. According to Gerwitz:
“It may be that an unintended consequence of this has been the upset of bacterial populations that are promoting obesity and metabolic syndrome.”
Ain’t life gross?
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I suppose this makes sense for people who try to work out and eat well and still can’t lose weight. I’m not sure if this alone could cause morbid obesity though–bacteria are a part of the digestive process, not all of it.
I have a feeling that if people were overeating vegetables, whole grains and water instead of burgers, fries and soda we’d have a lot less obese people. Even with the bacteria.
The bacteria makes you hungrier. It doesn’t make you gain more weight from eating the same amount of calories.
Technically, no. Over eat 3500 calories by consuming all veggies and grains, you’ll gain a pound.
Over eat by consuming 3500 extra calories made up of ice cream and chocolate, you’ll still gain the pound.
If I’m going to gain a pound, it is going to be all chocolate calories, thank you!
The difference being that 3500 calories of chocolate is a plateful and 3500 calories of celery is a pile as big as a house. It’s not like these people are saying they need to eat X number of calories each day, it’s a volume issue.
Don’t mess with my chocolate, Rhonda!
Even 3500 calories in chocolate is a large amount of chocolate.
A Hershey’s candy bar is 1.4 ounces (43 grams) is only 210 calories! So, I would need to eat nearly 17 of these in order to gain a pound!
Be right back!
Don’t mess with my veggies, Blurry! *grin* I meant what Rhonda said.
You’ll get more full from eating veggies and whole grains than you will from eating junk food, and it’ll contain less calories.
Deal!
I will trade you 10 servings of okra (about the only veg I won’t eat) for 10 servings of chocolate!
I win! I win! I win!
I once lived with a macrobiotic girl and I couldn’t gain weight on that diet to save my soul,not that I ever needed to. That entire community of folks were thin,and seemed to be quite healthy.
[...] Bacterial Imbalance May Increase Appetite – Zelda Lily [...]
It may make you feel hungrier but it’s not forcing the food down your throat, we have some differences with rats, past infancy we can control when we urinate/void our bowels for one, another is some form of self control.
We can exercise self control but could you imagine being hungry all the time? It’s not that hard to say no to a cookie because you’re not really hungry or to eat a banana instead of candy when you crave something sweet. It is hard to avoid eating anything when you’re really and truly hungry. If you never feel full then you’re always going to be looking for something else to eat and unless you’re eating nothing but celery you’re going to wind up overweight.
Actually yes, I can for 7 months of my life I was constantly starving due to a medical issue that I now have under control. Before I realized what was going on I gained 15 lbs in a month (didn’t notice it until I stepped on the scale I have one of those bodies that distributes fat decently), then I used that self control I mentioned and dropped all the weight and kept it off even though this issue prevented me from exercising for those 7 months. If you’re hungry have a bunch of popcorn it’s low call and very filling or an apple, or yes celery and you will be able to resist becoming morbidly obese.
I discovered this by accident after I had unexplicably gained 20 pounds. I had cancer 5 years ago and also suffer from interstitial cystitis, which necessitates taking a prophylactic dose of antibiotics every day. I was determined to lose the weight at all costs (I know, I know) and I purchased a massive amount of pro-biotic yogurt and Lean Cuisines so I wouldn’t be tempted to overeat anything grossly unhealthy. Imagine my surprise when I lost almost 30 pounds in eight weeks! After eating the yogurt for a week, I realized that I was not ravenously hungry as I had been, and I found myself satisfied by eating 4-6 containers of the yogurt and 2-3 Lean Cuisines every day.
All I’m saying is that is sure worked for me………..
[...] Bacterial Imbalance May Increase Appetite – Zelda Lily: Feminism in a Bra [...]
I stopped eating all sugar and lost 15 pounds this week. Maybe all the bacteria died or something. I don’t understand a) how I lost that much weight after not losing ANY for nearly 5 months, and b) why my jeans arent loose now.
I say we stop trying to understand weight issues and all sit in a circle staring at our belly buttons instead.
Goo, I agree. Belly button staring would be so much more enjoyable. I put on 8 pounds over Christmas (boy was it fun), but now am paying the piper. Now that I hit my 50’s, the weight goes right to my mid section. I NEVER had a problem there before. UGH, it is so much harder losing it now.
Some people find it goes in stairsteps instead of a ramp. If it works, it works.
This certainly sounds plausible to me. We take in so many synthetic materials, whether it be antibiotics, preservatives, etc. Science couldn’t have known the effects of all the combinations and still doesn’t. I know it’s worth a try to stock up on yogurt and stomach enzymes to me.
[...] Bacterial Imbalance May Increase Appetite – Zelda Lily [...]