Balancing the gut, shedding the weight: probiotics for adolescent obesity - a narrative review

Abstract

Adolescent obesity, a rising global health concern, increases the risk of metabolic disorders, psychological problems, and cardiovascular disease. Alternative approaches to weight management are becoming more popular as a result of the limited long-term effectiveness of conventional strategies like diet and exercise. By altering gut microbiota, enhancing insulin sensitivity, controlling hunger, and lowering systemic inflammation, probiotics-live microorganisms with health benefits offer a potential strategy. Some probiotic strains, such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, have demonstrated promise in improving the function of the gut barrier, restoring microbial balance, and influencing the metabolic pathways linked to obesity. By altering the ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes, boosting the synthesis of short-chain fatty acids, and altering hunger-related hormones like ghrelin and leptin, probiotics help regulate energy homeostasis and fat metabolism. Additionally, they improve glucose metabolism, reduce inflammation, and decrease endotoxin absorption. Despite their variable effectiveness based on dosage, strain specificity, and individual gut microbiota composition, probiotics have been demonstrated to aid in the management of obesity. Probiotics may be a non-invasive, complementary option to traditional weight-management methods for improving the metabolic health and overall well-being of adolescents. A comprehensive and long-term strategy for managing and preventing adolescent obesity may be possible by combining probiotics with dietary changes and lifestyle interventions, which would ultimately enhance metabolic health and general well-being.