Title : Targeted loss of abdominal fat and increased lean muscle mass: A new paradigm for weight loss
Abstract:
Most conventional approaches to achieve weight loss in the overweight and obese involve reducing calories in some form. Reduced calorie diets, GLP-1 agonist therapy, and bariatric procedures all involve reduced calorie intake. Weight loss achieved through such methods has been demonstrated across numerous clinical studies to result in substantial loss of lean muscle mass (Willoughby 2018). As lean muscle mass is the primary determinant of basal metabolic rate (BMR), the resultant reduction in BMR increases the likelihood of weight regain, even if a low-calorie intake and exercise program are maintained (Fothergill 2016). We performed a pilot open-label human clinical trial recently to explore the skin consequences of a combined formulation of the microbe, Lactobacillus reuteri, combined with marine-sourced collagen peptides, hyaluronic acid, and the carotenoid, astaxanthin. While significant increase in dermal thickness was documented via high-resolution skin ultrasound, we also incidentally observed marked reduction in waist circumference of 7.2 cm (range 0 to 21.6 cm). Despite the reduction in waist circumference, only 0.14 kg of total body weight was lost. We therefore speculate that, consistent with experimental evidence (Varian 2016; Elabd 2014) lean muscle mass increased. We therefore plan to pursue body composition assessments in future to discern 1) loss of subcutaneous vs. abdominal visceral fat to account for the reduction in waist circumference; 2) the increase in lean muscle mass quantified via DEXA; and 3) exploration of the mechanisms of action that we speculate are due to increased plasma oxytocin from L. reuteri, reduction in lipopolysaccharide endotoxemia, and effects unique to the non-microbial components that include mTOR activation, gastrointestinal microbiome modulation (e.g., increased Akkermansia, Faecalibacterium, and other butyrogenic species), and reduction of insulin resistance.
Keywords: Basal metabolic rate, Lactobacillus reuteri, muscle mass, visceral fat
