Post-diet weight gain: what’s behind it and how can we prevent it?

It is by no means unusual to regain weight after a successful weight-loss diet. Indeed, a report published by the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety¹ claims this so-called ‘yo-yo’ effect may actually occur in 80% of cases. But it now seems Israeli scientists may have found the reason for such post-diet weight gain, according to an article published in November 2016 in the prestigious journal Nature². These researchers believe the reason behind the rebound effect lies in our intestines, or more precisely, in our intestinal microbiota. Changes in gut flora could indeed be the key to explaining why putting weight back on after a diet is so common. In addition to this key finding, the researchers may have also identified nutrients which could prevent such an effect. All of which means that their study offers new perspectives for effectively combatting excess weight and obesity!

Changes to gut microbiota responsible for ‘yo-yo’ effect

In an effort to improve their understanding of this high rate of post-diet weight gain, the researchers fed mice different diets before carrying out a series of tests. These revealed changes in the intestinal microbiota of some of the mice. Also known as gut flora, intestinal microbiota consists of a collection of microorganisms which have numerous roles within the body. In this study, scientists observed that the microbiota of formerly obese mice fed a slimming diet was different from that of mice with no history of obesity. In other words, obese individuals or those with a history of obesity may have a compromised intestinal microbiota.

Decrease in level of flavonoids responsible for weight regain

In addition to their findings on intestinal microbiota, the researchers also noted an association between the changes mentioned above and a decrease in flavonoid levels. Flavonoids are substances present in plants and are known for their antioxidant power. Since flavonoids are normally involved in energy expenditure, a decrease in their concentration could account for this weight gain.

Should we be taking flavonoid supplements to prevent excess weight and obesity?

To confirm their previous findings, the researchers investigated the effects of flavonoid supplementation in obese mice fed a weight-loss diet. They observed an improvement in energy expenditure and a decrease in weight gain among these animals. If their findings are replicated in human clinical trials, these preliminary results suggest that supplementing with flavonoids may prove beneficial for countering excess weight and obesity. This is consistent with the many benefits offered by flavonoids which are already available as dietary supplements. One such formulation is Viscerox™, which is obtained from a patented extract of liquorice root known for its high flavonoid content³.
These recent discoveries on intestinal microbiota and flavonoids represent a major advance in the fight against excess weight and obesity. While we wait for the results of clinical studies, these preliminary findings offer new hope for obese patients, numbers of whom have doubled worldwide since the 1980s.⁴.

> Sources :

1. ANSES, Evaluation des risques liés aux pratiques alimentaires d’amaigrissement, 25 novembre 2010
2. Christoph A. Thaiss, Shlomik Itav, Daphna Rothschild, Mariska Meijer, Maayan Levy, Claudia Moresi, Lenka Dohnalová, Sofia Braverman, Shachar Rozin, Sergey Malitsky, Mally Dori-Bachash, Yael Kuperman, Inbal Biton, Arieh Gertler, Alon Harmelin, Hagit Shapiro, Zamir Halpern, Asaph Aharoni, Eran Segal & Eran Elinav, « Persistent microbiome alterations modulate the rate of post-dieting weight regain », Nature, Nov 2016.
3. Asha MK, Debraj D, Dethe S, Bhaskar A, Muruganantham N, Deepak M, « Effect of Flavonoid-Rich Extract of Glycyrrhiza glabra on Gut-Friendly Microorganisms, Commercial Probiotic Preparations, and Digestive Enzymes », J Diet Suppl, 2016 Sep, 2:1-11.
4. Organisation Mondiale de la Santé (OMS), « Obésité et surpoids », Aide-mémoire N°311, Juin 2016.