Hormonal
Lactobacillus sp. probiotic supplementation significantly reduces body mass index, body weight, waist and hip circumference, and visceral/subcutaneous fat mass in non-comorbid obese individuals compared to placebo.
If you are obese without other major health conditions, adding a Lactobacillus probiotic (doses ranging from 1 million to 50 billion CFU daily) to your routine may help reduce body weight, BMI, and waist circumference. The effect is modest but statistically significant, particularly when taken for at least 12 weeks. It is not a magic bullet but may support other lifestyle changes.
Significant reductions were observed in BMI (mean difference (MD): -0.40 kg/m²; 95%CI: -0.48–(-0.32), p<0.00001), body weight (MD: -1.16 kg; 95%CI: -1.79–(-0.53), p=0.0003), waist circumference (MD: -1.41 cm; 95%CI: -1.75–(-1.08), p<0.00001), and hip circumference (MD: -0.85 cm; 95%CI: -1.09–(-0.61), p<0.00001) compared to controls.
Why this rating
High-quality evidence for body fat/weight, moderate for BMI/hormones; GRADE assessment supports confidence.
Source
Probiotic Lactobacillus sp. as a strategy for modulation of non-comorbid obesity: A systematic meta-analysis and GRADE assessment of randomized controlled trials
Juan Alessandro Jeremis Maruli Nura Lele et al. · Narra J · 2025
DOI 10.52225/narra.v5i2.1562
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