Probiotics: sorting the evidence from the myths

Senanayake, Sanjaya N

doi:10.5694/j.1326-5377.2008.tb01970.x

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To the Editor: Pham and colleagues commented on the effects of probiotics; however, not much is known about the impact of probiotics on weight gain and obesity. It is known that a predominance of certain bacteria, such as Lactobacillus, in the bowel can promote weight gain. Many of these bacteria are found in probiotic products.

Department of Microbiology, Canberra Hospital, Canberra, ACT.

Correspondence: sanjaya.senanayake@act.gov.au

1. Pham M, Lemberg DA, Day AS. Probiotics: sorting the evidence from the myths. Med J Aust 2008; 188: 304-308. <MJA full text>
2. Bajzer M, Seeley RJ. Physiology: obesity and gut flora. Nature 2006; 444: 1009-1010.
3. Ley RE, Turnbaugh PJ, Klein S, Gordon JI. Microbial ecology: human gut microbes associated with obesity. Nature 2006; 444: 1022-1023.
4. Turnbaugh PJ, Ley RE, Mahowald MA, et al. An obesity-associated gut microbiome with increased capacity for energy harvest. Nature 2006; 444: 1027-1031.

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