Resistant Starch for Weight Loss: New Study Finds a Link
- Researchers have unveiled a potential new strategy to treat obesity and metabolic diseases through dietary interventions.
- By incorporating resistant starch into the diets of overweight people, scientists observed significant weight loss and improvements in insulin sensitivity, highlighting the influential role of the gut microbiome on overall health.
- This research not only highlights the global urgency to combat obesity, but also suggests that modulating the gut microbiome with specific dietary components could offer a promising avenue for preventive and therapeutic measures against metabolic disorders.
Obesity is now recognized as a global health crisis, contributing to global mortality by increasing the risk of metabolic disorders such as diabetes and increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Losing weight through diet and exercise is an important step in preventing or reducing obesity.
Research is increasingly showing the link between the gut microbiome and how the body handles glucose and fat, as well as its impact on inflammation.
While fecal microbiota transplantation – which aims to induce the overgrowth of “good” gut bacteria – has had mixed success in promoting a healthy gut, dietary modifications have been shown to have a positive impact on the microbiota. , suggesting that diet-based approaches, alone or in combination with transplantation, could improve health outcomes.
Resistant starch is not digestible by human-produced amylase enzymes and acts as a form of dietary fiber.
It passes through the stomach and small intestine without being digested, reaching the large intestine or the colon, where it is fermented by the intestinal microbiota.
Rodent studies have demonstrated that a diet rich in resistant starch can lead to reduced body fat and improved metabolic health.
In a new study, published in
Researchers conducted a randomized, crossover clinical trial to evaluate the impact of resistant starch, from high-amylose corn, on obesity and metabolic health.
Participants, who were not taking probiotics, antibiotics or treatments affecting glucose metabolism, were divided into a treatment group receiving resistant starch and a control group receiving amylopectin.
The trial involved consumption of the assigned starch in powder form twice daily before meals over two eight-week phases, allowing a direct comparison between the effects of the resistant starch and those of the control.
Research has also investigated how the gut microbiota is altered by resistant starch supplementation. affect glucose metabolism and fat accumulation to understand the metabolic benefits.
The results indicated that the addition of resistant starch to the diet led to an average weight reduction of approximately 2.8 kilograms (kg) and increased insulin sensitivity in individuals with Overweight.
Researchers observed that the positive health effects of resistant starch were mainly due to alterations in the composition of the gut microbiota.
More precisely, the presence of the bacteria Bifidobacterium adolescentis was significantly linked to the consumption of resistant starch in humans, and the introduction of this bacteria alone into mice protected them against obesity caused by their diet.
Research concluded that adding resistant starch to the diet leads to weight loss and improves insulin sensitivity, primarily by increasing the presence of B.adolescent in the intestinal microbiota.
Three experts, not involved in this research, spoke with Medical news today on its conclusions.
Dr. Mir Ali, a bariatric surgeon and medical director of the Memorial Care Surgical Weight Loss Center at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, Calif., said the paper “highlights the importance of the gut microbiota and the role it plays.” plays, not just for weight.” loss, but also health in general.
Kelsey Costa, MS, RDN, registered dietitian nutritionist and founder of the Dietitian Insights Collective, agrees, noting that “resistant starch research is a growing area of interest in nutritional science.”
“The weight loss observed in this study is linked to alterations in the composition of the intestinal microbiota, in particular the increase in Bifidobacterium adolescentiswhich was significantly associated with the reduction of obesity in participants and showed protective effects against diet-induced obesity in male mice,” Costa explained.
“As we continue to uncover the multifaceted relationships between diet, gut microbiota and human health, the potential of resistant starch as a functional food ingredient for obesity management and improvement of Metabolic health remains an exciting and valuable area of exploration.
-Kelsey Costa
Megan Hilbert, MS, RDN, dietitian specializing in gut health nutrition at Top Nutrition Coaching, said that “based on the results of this study, resistant starch was found to be an effective way to reduce obesity as well as insulin sensitivity in participants who received the resistant starch intervention.
Dr. Ali noted several implications of this research, for example, by “restoring a healthy gut microbiota, this could help facilitate weight loss.”
“Of course, there is still a lot of research to be done in this area,” Dr. Ali said. “Moreover, the gut microbiota is not the only factor that affects a patient’s weight and general health. »
“Patients need to understand that there are many components to a healthy weight loss plan and maintaining their weight and health. Genetics, lifestyle, exercise, and a healthy gut microbiome all play a role, but the majority of weight loss is due to changing diet.
– Dr. Mir Ali
Hilbert noted how clinicians “can fortunately easily apply these findings to our work with our patients by further educating these individuals on how to include foods high in resistant starch.”
“Resistant starch occurs naturally in many foods like oats, cooked and cooled rice, grains like sorghum and barley, beans and legumes like black beans, peas, pinto beans, etc., raw potato starch or cooked and cooled potatoes, green bananas, and more. ,” she explained.
“It is also possible to supplement with resistant starch, but I recommend trying to get resistant starch through whole foods to get the health benefits of other aspects of those foods – vitamins, minerals , proteins, prebiotics, other fibers,” Hilbert suggested.
“When adding more resistant starch, I generally advise people to start slowly and allow the gut microbiome to adapt to the changes if they are not used to eating a lot of fiber or resistant starch to avoid any unpleasant side effects,” she said.
Costa explained that “resistant starch stands out as a distinct dietary fiber that bypasses digestion in the small intestine and undergoes fermentation in the colon, where it interacts with the gut microbiota, potentially leading to a significant reduction in fat. body based on (the results of) animal studies.
However, “while rodent studies have highlighted the potential for resistant starch to favorably influence metabolic outcomes, previous human studies have been limited and observed few changes in body weight following supplementation.” in resistant starch, suggesting variable effects on human metabolic health,” Costa said.
Costa explained that research indicates that fat content in the diet affects fermentation and the health benefits of resistant starch.
High-fat diets can negatively impact the gut microbiota, hindering the benefits of resistant starch, while low-fat diets enhance its fermentation, thereby promoting metabolic health.
This highlights the importance of whole, plant-based foods for optimal resistant starch intake and health outcomes.
“The findings strengthen the argument for a dietary shift towards a plant-based diet, highlighting the inherent health benefits and role of resistant starch in promoting a healthier gut microbiome and promoting optimal metabolic health. »
-Kelsey Costa
