Synbiotics help reduce weight in adults with overweight, obesity

Synbiotics V5 and V7 effectively reduce body weight in individuals with obesity or overweight undergoing lifestyle modification, as shown in a study.

Individuals aged 30 to 60 years with body mass index (BMI) of 25 to 34.9 kg/m² were included in this 12-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, which sought to examine the effect of synbiotics on body composition and metabolic health in individuals with excessive body weight. A total of 172 participants were randomized to receive either synbiotic V5, V7, or placebo.

Change in BMI and body fat percentage was the primary outcome, while changes in weight, other metabolic health and inflammatory markers, gastrointestinal quality of life, and eating behaviours were secondary ones.

A significant decrease in BMI (p<0.0001) from baseline to the end of study occurred in both V5 and V7 groups, while a nonsignificant change was observed in the placebo group (p=0.0711).

The reduction in the synbiotic groups achieved statistical significance when compared individually with that in the placebo group (p<0.0001), and this corresponded well with the body weight decrease with V5 and V7 (p<0.0001).

Moreover, the increase in high-density lipoprotein was statistically significant in the V5 (p<0.0001) and V7 groups (p=0.0205) compared with placebo. Such trend was also seen in the high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels, with a statistically significant decrease in the V5 (p<0.0001) and V7 groups (p=0.0005).