Can improving my gut health help me lose weight?

Your body has about 40 trillion bacteria—most of which can be found in your gut (Sender, 2016). Together, this collection of gut bacteria is known as the microbiome, now considered a key contributor to overall health. Recent research even suggests your gut microbiome can influence your ability to lose weight (Diener, 2021). 

So what’s the relationship between gut health and weight loss? Let’s find out. 

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The human body is home to millions of microorganisms, tiny living things found all around us and too small to be seen by the naked eye. The most common types are bacteria, viruses, and fungi. 

Trillions of these microbes live on our skin and inside our intestines. Most of the microbes in our intestines are located in a “pocket” of the large intestine called the cecum, and these are the organisms that make up the gut microbiome.

The microorganisms found in your gut microbiome can play an essential role in your health, though some can also cause disease. The microbes that make up the gut microbiome may weigh as much as 2–5 pounds (John, 2018). 

Most of the bacteria found in your gut microbiome positively affect your health and help contribute to your body’s natural processes. But when one of these colonies of bacteria gets out of whack, it can lead to something called gut dysbiosis, which is an imbalance of healthy and unhealthy microbes. Dysbiosis has been shown to contribute to weight gain (Patterson, 2016). 

However, research also shows that specific “good” microbes in the gut may help you lose weight. In one study of dieters, researchers compared people who had lost weight to those whose weight had remained the same. The main difference was the types of gut microbes the two groups had. The people who lost more weight not only had more beneficial enzymes in their guts, but they also had certain bacterial colonies that may support weight loss (Diener, 2021).

Your gut bacteria can affect how your food is digested, how fat is stored, and whether you feel hungry or full—all of which can affect your ability to lose weight. Let’s dig into each of these factors. 

Digestion

Because the bacteria that line your gut come into constant contact with the food you eat, they affect how the body absorbs those nutrients. The human gut microbiome is a critical component of digestion, breaking down complex carbohydrates, proteins, and to a lesser extent, fats that reach the lower gastrointestinal tract (Oliphant, 2019). For example, gut microbes—digestive enzymes—break down dietary fiber. By digesting fiber, these gut bacteria produce several chemicals that may promote weight loss (Koh, 2016). 

Inflammation

Inflammation happens when your body activates your immune system to fight infection. Your gut bacteria play an essential role in inflammation. Some bacteria found in the gut produce chemicals that cause inflammation when they pass into the blood (Al Bander, 2020). These elevated inflammatory chemicals can contribute to weight gain (Saltiel, 2017). 

On the other hand, certain species of gut bacteria can lower inflammation, preventing weight gain. In a recent study, mice who were fed prebiotic fibers to help increase Bifidobacteria bacteria in the gut showed a decrease in weight gain (Cani, 2007).

Hunger and fullness  

Your body produces certain hormones—such as leptin, ghrelin, glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), and others—which affect your appetite. The different bacteria present in your gut can affect how much of each of these hormones is produced, which then affects how hungry or full you feel (Fetissov, 2017). For example, one study showed that people who took propionate—a short-chain fatty acid produced when certain species of gut bacteria break down fiber—had levels of these appetite-affecting hormones that led to reduced food intake and reduced weight gain (Chambers, 2015). 

There are many different foods that are good for supporting healthy gut bacteria. These include: 

• Whole grains—These foods are high in fiber. When digested by healthy gut bacteria, they may help with weight loss. 

• Probiotic foods—Probiotic foods like kimchi, kombucha, and kefir contain living microorganisms like the health-promoting microbes found in your gut and can minimize disease-causing bacteria in the gut. 

• Polyphenol-rich foods—These include dark chocolate, green tea, and red wine. The presence of these foods in the gut promotes the growth of good bacteria. 

• Fruits and vegetables—Gut bacteria diversity is linked to a healthy weight—and eating a variety of fruits and vegetables can give you that diversity. 

• Nuts—Nuts also contain a lot of fiber, which promotes the growth of healthy bacteria. 

You may not have realized just how important gut health is to losing or maintaining a healthy weight. But by eating the right foods for a healthy microbiome, you can not only improve your chances of losing weight—but you can improve your overall health as well.

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How we reviewed this article

Every article on Health Guide goes through rigorous fact-checking by our team of medical reviewers. Our reviewers are trained medical professionals who ensure each article contains the most up-to-date information, and that medical details have been correctly interpreted by the writer.

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Current version

July 15, 2022

Written by

Mariah Adcox

Fact checked by

Steve Silvestro, MD

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About the medical reviewer

Steve Silvestro, MD, Ro

Dr. Steve Silvestro is a board-certified pediatrician and Associate Director, Clinical Content & Education at Ro.