Appetite, Weight and the Gut Microbiome
How Your Gut Bacteria
Regulates Hunger
Short chain fatty acids (SCFAs), produced by gut bacteria are powerful regulators of appetite by boosting GLP - 1 and other key hormones.
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Metabolites like acetate, propionate and butyrate are activate receptors on intestinal
L - cells, triggering the release of
glucagon - like peptide -1 (GLP-1), a hormone that suppresses hunger naturally.
SCFAs also increases the release of peptide YY (PYY), another gut hormone that signals fullness.
What I hear in the media is that most people can't afford GLP medication or they are scared their appetite increases when they come off the medication.
Increasing your own production of SCFAs through your gut bacteria is not only a great way to reduce appetite, but is also a great strategy to support your transition from GLP medication.
A microbiome test provides the percentages of SCFAs in a stool sample.​​
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Firmicutes vs.Bacteroidetes in the Weight Gain Game
The ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes, two dominant bacterial phyla in the human gut microbiome, has emerged as a intriguing player in the science of weight gain.
Research suggests that a higher Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes (F/B) ratio can be linked to increased body weight, as Firmicutes are particularly efficient at extracting energy from food, especially complex carbohydrates, leading to greater calorie absorption.
In contrast, Bacteroidetes are associated with leaner profiles, potentially due to their role in breaking down less calorie-dense substrates.
A microbiome test gives us the ratio between Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes
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