Have you ever wondered why some people lose weight easily and quickly, while others literally fall into depression trying to give up sweets? It turns out that it may not even be a matter of willpower, but the composition of intestinal bacteria. This was reported by Chinese scientists who published their work in the journal Frontiers (18+).
The experiment involved 25 obese adults who were on a strict diet for a month and a half: first, their diet was smoothly cut to a quarter of normal, and then transferred to 500–600 calories per day. The participants lost an average of 7.6 kg, their blood pressure, sugar and cholesterol normalized, but the most interesting thing was hidden inside.
Analyzes showed that as you lost weight, there were more beneficial microbes in the intestines and less harmful E. coli, and the areas in the brain responsible for impulsive desires and loss of self-control quieted down.
The connection here is the most direct: The fact is that certain types of bacteria simply need sweet or fatty foods to live, and when they are starving, they begin to brazenly demand their portion. Microbes send special signals to the brain, cunningly instilling in a person that he himself wants a piece of cake or a burger so badly, which ultimately leads to nightly breakdowns and attacks on the refrigerator.
It turns out to be a vicious circle, where microbes produce substances that affect the nerves and blood, and the brain obediently fulfills their whims, making us reach for junk food.
What to do if you have a craving for sweets?
Scientists have concluded that intermittent fasting helps overweight people not just burn calories, but literally reprograms the body. A strict diet changes the composition of intestinal bacteria, which immediately affects brain function, turning off obsessive thoughts about food and destroying food addictions.
This theory of hidden habit management is confirmed by data previously cited by the Daily Mail (18+), citing researchers from three large American universities. Scientists from San Francisco, Arizona and New Mexico have proven that some bacteria require fatty foods, while others require sweet foods.
The leader of the work, Dr. Athena Aktipis, previously explained that microbes are directly connected to the vagus nerve and can not only change our tastes, but also influence emotions. By releasing toxins to make you feel bad or beneficial substances to make you happy, they sometimes become the cause of causeless anxiety and even depression, so taking care of the microflora is also the key to strong nerves.
But the good news is that it only takes 24 hours of proper nutrition to strip the bad bacteria of their power and cause their population to plummet.
