L. gasseri – A Common Probiotic Strain

Lactobacillus gasseri (L. gasseri) is a probiotic bacterium that is found naturally in the genital, urinary, and digestive systems of the body. It is also present in breast milk, fermented foods, and dairy products. L. gasseri serves many important functions in the body, but the reason it has been one of the most talked-about probiotic strains in the last few years is because of its correlation to weight loss and obesity treatment. There have been numerous studies to support this. We will talk about just a fraction of them here.

L. gasseri Helps to Control Obesity, Weight Loss, and Cholesterol

Several studies have shown that L. gasseri may reduce adiposity (fat), body weight, and weight gain. These results suggest that L. gasseri could be applied to the treatment of obesity,¹ and it could also have a beneficial influence on metabolic disorders.² Here is another study demonstrating weight loss in obese humans and animals from L. gasseri administration.³ In this trial, supplementation resulted in a modest decrease in weight, waist circumference, and hip circumference in obese and overweight adults with no behavioral or dietary changes.⁴

L gasseri can significantly prevent body weight gain, fat accumulation, and pro-inflammatory gene expression in the adipose tissue.⁵ Lower triglyceride levels and reduced expression of lipogenic genes were also observed in the liver. This study suggests that improvement in the inflammatory state of the adipose tissue might be a possible mechanism underlying the anti-obesity effect.

L. gasseri prevents inflammation due to high-fat diets and has a suppressing effect on blood glucose levels.⁶ It has also demonstrated an ability to improve diabetic symptoms in diabetic mice and reduce insulin levels.⁷ Total blood cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides in hypercholesterolemic men and women were reduced through a combination of L. gasseri and inulin.⁸ Other studies have also shown that L. gasseri is capable of reducing blood and liver cholesterol.⁹

In addition to benefits associated with weight loss, anti-inflammation, and cholesterol, L. gasseri provides several other potential benefits. It has been shown to enhance immunity in the elderly by increasing T cell count.¹⁰ Some studies also indicate an ability to protect against influenza.¹¹ L. gasseri can help with asthma by attenuating allergen-induced airway inflammation.¹² It also may be able to enhance oral tolerance of allergies by increasing the number of regulatory T cells,¹³ and some studies indicate that it could help to combat fatigue in athletes after strenuous exercise.¹⁴

Beneficial functions for probiotics tend to have some overlap between strains, but no other strains have as much well-documented research supporting weight loss and obesity control as L. gasseri. It could be a very important component of weight loss regimens in the future, so make sure you don’t forget about this strain when considering probiotic supplements.

¹Mekkes, M. C., Weenen, T. C., Brummer, R. J., & Claassen, E. (2014). The development of probiotic treatment in obesity: a review. Beneficial microbes, 5(1), 19–28. https://doi.org/10.3920/BM2012.0069
²Kadooka, Y., Sato, M., Imaizumi, K., Ogawa, A., Ikuyama, K., Akai, Y., Okano, M., Kagoshima, M., & Tsuchida, T. (2010). Regulation of abdominal adiposity by probiotics (Lactobacillus gasseri SBT2055) in adults with obese tendencies in a randomized controlled trial. European journal of clinical nutrition, 64(6), 636–643. https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2010.19
³Million, M., Angelakis, E., Paul, M., Armougom, F., Leibovici, L., Raoult, D. (2012). Comparative meta-analysis of the effect of Lactobacillus species on weight gain in humans and animals, Microbial Pathogenesis,Volume 53, Issue 2, 2012, Pages 100-108, ISSN 0882-4010, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.micpath.2012.05.007
⁴Jung, S. P., Lee, K. M., Kang, J. H., Yun, S. I., Park, H. O., Moon, Y., & Kim, J. Y. (2013). Effect of Lactobacillus gasseri BNR17 on Overweight and Obese Adults: A Randomized, Double-Blind Clinical Trial. Korean journal of family medicine, 34(2), 80–89. https://doi.org/10.4082/kjfm.2013.34.2.80
⁵Miyoshi, M., Ogawa, A., Higurashi, S., & Kadooka, Y. (2014). Anti-obesity effect of Lactobacillus gasseri SBT2055 accompanied by inhibition of pro-inflammatory gene expression in the visceral adipose tissue in diet-induced obese mice. European journal of nutrition, 53(2), 599–606. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-013-0568-9
⁶Kawano, M., Miyoshi, M., Ogawa, A., Sakai, F., & Kadooka, Y. (2016). Lactobacillus gasseri SBT2055 inhibits adipose tissue inflammation and intestinal permeability in mice fed a high-fat diet. Journal of Nutritional Science, 5, E23. doi:10.1017/jns.2016.12
⁷Kang JH, Yun SI, Park MH, Park JH, Jeong SY, et al. (2013) Anti-Obesity Effect of Lactobacillus gasseri BNR17 in High-Sucrose Diet-Induced Obese Mice. PLOS ONE 8(1): e54617. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0054617
⁸Kang JH, Yun SI, Park MH, Park JH, Jeong SY, et al. (2013) Anti-Obesity Effect of Lactobacillus gasseri BNR17 in High-Sucrose Diet-Induced Obese Mice. PLOS ONE 8(1): e54617. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0054617
⁹Kang JH, Yun SI, Park MH, Park JH, Jeong SY, et al. (2013) Anti-Obesity Effect of Lactobacillus gasseri BNR17 in High-Sucrose Diet-Induced Obese Mice. PLOS ONE 8(1): e54617. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0054617
¹⁰Miyazawa, K., Kawase, M., Kubota, A., Yoda, K., Harata, G., Hosoda, M., & He, F. (2015). Heat-killed Lactobacillus gasseri can enhance immunity in the elderly in a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study. Beneficial microbes, 6(4), 441–449. https://doi.org/10.3920/BM2014.0108
¹¹Nakayama, Y., Moriya, T., Sakai, F. et al. Oral administration of Lactobacillus gasseri SBT2055 is effective for preventing influenza in mice. Sci Rep 4, 4638 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1038/srep04638
¹²Jan, R. L., Yeh, K. C., Hsieh, M. H., Lin, Y. L., Kao, H. F., Li, P. H., Chang, Y. S., & Wang, J. Y. (2012). Lactobacillus gasseri suppresses Th17 pro-inflammatory response and attenuates allergen-induced airway inflammation in a mouse model of allergic asthma. The British journal of nutrition, 108(1), 130–139. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007114511005265
¹³Aoki-Yoshida A, Yamada K, Hachimura S, Sashihara T, Ikegami S, et al. (2016) Enhancement of Oral Tolerance Induction in DO11.10 Mice by Lactobacillus gasseri OLL2809 via Increase of Effector Regulatory T Cells. PLOS ONE 11(7): e0158643. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0158643
¹⁴Sashihara, T., Nagata, M., Mori, T., Ikegami, S., Gotoh, M., Okubo, K., Uchida, M., & Itoh, H. (2013). Effects of Lactobacillus gasseri OLL2809 and α-lactalbumin on university-student athletes: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Applied physiology, nutrition, and metabolism = Physiologie appliquee, nutrition et metabolisme, 38(12), 1228–1235. https://doi.org/10.1139/apnm-2012-0490

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