Specific Gut Bacteria May Account For Much Obesity 470
resistant writes "A limited study from China offers the tantalizing possibility that targeting specific gut bacteria in humans could significantly reduce the scope of an epidemic of obesity in Western countries: 'The endotoxin-producing Enterobacter decreased in relative abundance from 35% of the volunteer's gut bacteria to non-detectable, during which time the volunteer lost 51.4kg of 174.8kg initial weight and recovered from hyperglycemia and hypertension after 23 weeks on a diet of whole grains, traditional Chinese medicinal foods and prebiotics.' As usual, sensationalist reports have been exaggerating the import of this very early investigation, and one wonders about that 'diet of whole grains.' Still, there could be meat in the idea of addressing pathogenic bacteria for the control of excessive weight gain. After all, it wasn't too long ago that a brave scientist insisted in the face of widespread ridicule that peptic ulcers in humans usually are caused by bacterial infections, not by acidic foods."
My own studies (Score:3, Funny)
My own studies suggest that the Crunchwrap Supreme is responsible for obesity.
Re:Mass-Media Report (Score:5, Funny)
Is it possible to safely eliminate just this one bacteria via a vaccine or antibiotic?
Perhaps someone could post this bacteria's susceptibility to Alcohol. Preferably before New Years Eve.
Re:Mass-Media Report (Score:5, Funny)
Gut bacteria? Nein, nein, das ist schlechte bacteria!
When I was young, I was skinny as a rail (Score:2, Funny)
I literally ate 10,000 calories a day and didn't gain an ounce. I drank a full 8 pack of 16 ounce pepsi bottles every day, ate a large bag of potato chips and a pound of cheese every day. This is on top of a large breakfast, lunch, afterschool dagwood sandwiches, huge supper with seconds at every meal. After dinner I would eat chips, more cheese, other snacks and popcorn loaded with butter. For breakfast I would eat a stack of 10 pancakes, a couple of boiled eggs, a 6 egg omlet, toast, sausage, bacon, a huge glass of milk, and with everything slathered with butter and bacon grease. Lunch was a box of chocolate donuts and a huge cocolate milk shake, dinner was steak, mashed potatoes, green beans. If I ate at a fast food restraunt it was 10 cheese burgers and a couple of large fries.
I was 5 foot 8 inches tall and I maintained less than 110 pound weight for most of high school.
And it wasn't because of my activity level either. I was a complete, couch potato when I was a teen ager. I just sat around reading, or playing video games on my computers.
Once I hit 30 years old I started gaining weight. No matter how little I ate I kept gaining weight. No matter how much I increased my activity level I kept gaining weight. Now I keep my food intake down to less than 1200 calories a day and try to walk everyday.
Glad to know that there might be a treatment to help me out soon.
Re:I though it was over consumption of cals. (Score:5, Funny)
Uh, if you actually extracted all the mass-energy of a french fry with 100% efficiency you could wipe out a city with the fire coming out of your mouth...
Since your digestive system is somewhat less efficient than an active galactic nucleus, you'll have to settle for a few paltry calories, and the number will vary by individual.