Secret to weight loss may be hiding in your gut, new study suggests

A study in Nature Medicine found that pasteurized Akkermansia muciniphila MucT, a gut bacterium, helped overweight and obese adults regain less weight after dieting compared to a placebo. Participants taking the bacterium regained an average of 2.6 pounds versus 7.1 pounds in the placebo group, though researchers noted limitations like a small sample size and short duration. Dr. Peter Balazs highlighted the treatment's potential to support weight maintenance by reducing biological signals that promote fat regain.