A soy-based probiotic drink modulates the microbiota and reduces body weight gain in diet-induced obese mice

This work investigates the effect of a soy-based probiotic drink (Enterococcus faecium CRL 183 and Bifidobacterium longum ATCC 15707) on the fecal microbiota composition, body weight and inflammatory parameters in diet-induced obese mice. The probiotic group had a lower body weight until 9th week of the study, reduced area and diameter of adipocytes, and showed a significant increase of IL-6 and IL-10 compared to the obesite non-treated group. The intake of a high-fat diet results in an increase of Lactobacillus spp. while the probiotic drink positively modulates the intestinal microbiota by maintaining the population of microorganisms belonging to the phylum Bacteroidetes and increases Bifidobacteriwn spp. Our study finds that the regular intake of this probiotic drink is able to reduce body weight gain and the size of adipocytes while modulating the fecal microbiota and the immune profile of animals, therefore acting in a beneficial manner in the control of obesity.