The Bacterium That Could Help You Lose Weight & Fight Inflammation

First, some basics: Probiotics are live organisms that are ingested for the purpose of improving your health, and they can be taken in a variety of forms, such as capsules or powders or even in certain kinds of foods.

We could talk about the different kinds of probiotics for hours, so spending time on one particular strain—Bifidobacterium lactis also known as B. lactis—feels almost like a luxury. Why is this strain so significant? Well, it's a superstar for gut health. For starters, a study from 2015 showed that a fermented milk containing B. lactis may improve gastrointestinal symptoms and well-being1, and it was suspected that this was true because of changes it created in gut motility and hypersensitivity.

Another fascinating study demonstrated that B. lactis reduced fat mass and glucose intolerance in mice3 with diabetes and obesity. It was felt that reduced levels of the pro-inflammatory substance called lipopolysaccharides (LPS) from bacteria that is associated with leaky gut was one of the mechanisms by which this occurred. We already know that an imbalance of bacteria in the gut can be associated with a variety of different conditions and diseases, so this is a great example of how a good guy can be added to the ecosystem and help tip the balance in favor of health. In this case, this probiotic helped improve blood sugar balance and weight.

Many researchers also suspect that this helpful bug can improve intestinal function and immunity. A study was conducted using pigs that were infected with a parasite, and they showed that when the pigs were given B. lactis (BB-12), the local immune response in the gut was changed5 and the strong immune response that can occur with parasites was reduced. There's a lot of literature and discussion regarding how the gut is important to the immune system, and this is a great example of that.

Not only can probiotics influence inflammation and immune function, but they can take it to the next level and reduce injury to the heart after having a heart attack. A study published earlier this year showed that supplementation with B. lactis 420 (B420) reduced the impact of a heart attack6. We know that gut health and heart health are closely connected to each other, and this is supportive of that concept. If the gut microbiome is balanced and contains enough of the good guys, like B. lactis, there could be improvements in other tissues and organs that are far away from the gut itself.*

I often remind my patients about one important concept when we're talking about probiotics. While we may know and understand that certain probiotics are helpful to our health in a variety of ways, it's important to keep the conditions in our bodies optimal so that these bacteria can grow and flourish, as well. Taking a probiotic such as B. lactis does not mean that you have carte blanche to do whatever you like regarding other aspects of your health.

It's still of the utmost importance to eat the right foods and avoid highly processed and packaged foods. Eat the rainbow, making sure you include plenty of colorful fruits and vegetables in your diet. Avoid toxins that can damage the gut and harm the good bacteria. Make sure you exercise and keep those good bacteria happy. Reducing stress, sleeping well, and having fun and enjoying life are also key ingredients for keeping a healthy gut microbiome. If we create an environment where these good bacteria can flourish, the health benefits are more likely to be consistent and remain.