A Cork Probiotic Fights Weight problems, Stress & Prevents Diabetes — Research

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A probiotic developed at a Cork University was found to fight obesity, reduce blood sugar stress and even prevent diabetes.

The probiotic, developed by University College Cork (UCC), is set to be used in a new fast-busting dietary supplement.

Renowned food research firm Atlantia conducted the study, which showed that the probiotic reduced the chances of people at risk developing diabetes.

A probiotic developed at a Cork University was found to counteract obesity by reducing blood sugar and stress. Image: Shutterstock

The study was published in the highly regarded global medical journal The Lancet.

The probiotic strain Bifidobacterium longum was developed and patented by the APC Microbiome Institute at the UCC.

Atlantia’s medical director and probiotic coffin, Professor Ted Dinan, led the study at the company’s research facility in Blackpool, Cork.

Explaining the clinical trial process, Professor Dinan said that 124 people who were overweight and considered pre-diabetic (with high glucose levels but not in the diabetic range) participated in the study.

Renowned food research firm Atlantia conducted the study, which showed that the probiotic reduced the chances of people at risk developing diabetes. Image: Shutterstock

Atlantia randomly selected half of the participants with the probiotic and half with a placebo, each taking them twice a day.

“We found that those on B. longum had their blood sugar levels decreased compared to those on placebo. We were able to bring participants in the prediabetic area back to the normal level with a simple probiotic. ‘

“They weren’t dieted, they didn’t exercise excessively, they only took this probiotic, and we were able to lower their glucose levels with the probiotic alone.”

‘The purpose of the study was to find out if this probiotic could lower blood sugar levels and thereby counteract obesity, and our results clearly showed that it does,’ added Professor Dinan.

probiotic obesity diabetesThe probiotic, developed by University College Cork (UCC), is set to be used in a new fast-busting dietary supplement. Image: Shutterstock

“We also tested the cortisol levels of all participants and found that the cortisol levels decreased with the probiotic treatment, which meant that this probiotic had an anti-stress effect.”

“So the probiotic lowered glucose levels, which is obviously a good thing when someone is overweight or prediabetic. The second key finding was that it helped reduce stress by reducing cortisol, the main stress hormone.”

“So it had an anti-stress effect and an anti-diabetic effect,” said Professor Dinan.

According to a 2018 study, around one in eight people will have type 2 diabetes by 2045 if obesity continues to increase at the current rate.