Physical activity is often a fundamental component of weight management strategies. However, some people experience weight loss with physical activity while others do not. A recent study found that differences in the gut microbiome influence the body’s metabolic response to physical activity.
The study involved 307 healthy men and 209 healthy women enrolled in two long-term cohort studies. Researchers analyzed the participants' gut microbial makeup and assessed their physical activity levels over several years.
They found that a specific gut microbe called Alistipes putredinis played a crucial role in how physical activity influenced body weight. Participants with higher levels of A. putredinis experienced more weight loss when they increased their physical activity. Conversely, those with lower A. putredinis levels saw less weight loss in response to physical activity. This pattern was consistent for long-term and short-term physical activity and associated with metabolic processes linked to A. putredinis, such as folate transformation and fatty acid metabolism.
These findings suggest that having a greater abundance of A. putredinis in the gut boosts the positive effects of physical activity on weight management. Interventions aimed at manipulating the gut microbiome could enhance the effectiveness of physical activity in controlling body weight. Learn more about the gut microbiome’s roles in human health in this episode featuring Dr. Eran Elinav.
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