Symbiotic growth

Muscle & Fitness, Jan, 2006 by Jim Stoppani

Okay, we admit that the topic of digestive health is borrring. Regardless, it's time to talk about the healthy bacteria that live in your gut. Hold it, fat boy! Don't turn the page, unless you'd rather not build a muscular and ripped physique. Did you know that you have about 10-100 trillion microbes in your gut (more than 10 times the number of cells that make up your body)? Research suggests that certain gut bacteria may be one cause of obesity. Scientists have found that some bacteria are better at breaking down certain nutrients for increased absorption, and some can actually alter genes that enhance fat storage. In essence, this would cause some people to absorb more calories from certain food than others, as well as store more of those calories as fat--all due to the microbes in their guts. And research shows that obese animals have different types of gut bacteria than lean animals.

Although it's too soon to tell how this information can be used to help you get lean, we do know that maintaining good bacteria in your digestive tract can help you get more nutrients to your growing muscles and help prevent fat storage. You can do this by taking probiotics and prebiotics. Probiotic supplements actually supply good bacteria for your gut to work properly; these include the bacteria Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidus. Prebiotic supplements feed the good bacteria already in your gut to help them flourish, and these include fructooligosaccharide. Taking both types together is known as symbiotic supplementation, and it can have a dramatic impact on your digestive and immune health. Try stacking these three supplements to bribe your own gut microbes into helping you make more muscle and lose more fat.

Lactobacillus acidophilus: Better known as just acidophilus, this is the predominant friendly bacteria in the upper intestinal tract. It helps reduce the levels of harmful bacteria and yeasts in the small intestine and also produces lactase, an enzyme important in the digestion of milk. Acidophilus is also involved in the production of B vitamins (niacin, folic acid and pyridoxine) during the digestive process. Look for products that provide 0.5-1.0 billion colony forming units (cfu) per dose and take twice daily.

Bifidobacterium bifidus: Also known simply as bifidus, this friendly bacteria reside predominantly in the lower intestine. Like its better-known cousin acidophilus, bifidus helps digest milk sugars, thus reducing bloating and gas. Bifidus helps to keep pH of intestines at levels that discourage parasites and candida. Look for products that provide 0.5-1.0 billion cfu per dose and take twice daily.

Fructooligosaccharide (FOS): This soluble fiber is found in a variety of common plants, fruits and vegetables. The most common FOS source used in supplements is derived from chicory root, due to its naturally high FOS concentration. Because FOS is sweet to the taste, it's commonly used as an "artificial" sweetener since the body cannot utilize its calorie content. The healthy bacteria in your gut, however, can use the energy from FOS. Taking 2-5 grams twice a day helps promote the function of good bacteria and fend off the bad. Studies show that FOS supplementation helps increase absorption of minerals and other micronutrients.

BY JIM STOPPANI, PHD

RELATED ARTICLE: GET GUTS STACK

Take these supplements twice a day with food:

SUPPLEMENT                 DOSE

Lactobacillus acidophilus  0.5-1.0 billion cfu
Bifidobacterium bifidus    0.5-1.0 billion cfu
Fructooligosaccharide      2-5 grams

REFERENCES

Backhed, F., et al. The gut microbiota as an environmental factor that regulates fat storage. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United-States of America. 101(44):15,718-15,723, 2004.

Le, R.E. Obesity alters gut microbial ecology. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 102(31):11,070-11,075, 2005.

Ohta, A., et al. Dietary fructooligosaccharides prevent osteopenia after gastrectomy in rats. Journal of Nutrition 128(1):106-110, 1998.