A new study shows that bacteria in your digestive track affect how many calories your body can "harvest" from the foods you eat. Certain bacteria will allow the body to absorb and utilize more or less calories. An experiment was done where they took bacteria from an obese mouse and put it into a thin mouse's stomach. The result was that within two weeks, the thin mouse had put on extra weight. This means that it may be possible to regulate body weight by adjusting the levels of certain bacteria. It also helps to explain why two people may have the same body type but one can eat much more than the other without gaining weight.
To avoid copyright infringement, I am posting the links, not the actual article and video.
A new study shows that bacteria in your digestive track affect how many calories your body can "harvest" from the foods you eat. Certain bacteria will allow the body to absorb and utilize more or less calories. An experiment was done where they took bacteria from an obese mouse and put it into a thin mouse's stomach. The result was that within two weeks, the thin mouse had put on extra weight. This means that it may be possible to regulate body weight by adjusting the levels of certain bacteria. It also helps to explain why two people may have the same body type but one can eat much more than the other without gaining weight.
To avoid copyright infringement, I am posting the links, not the actual article and video.
Academic Video: http://www.nature.com/nature/videoarchive/gutmicrobes/index.html
AP Article: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061220/ap_on_he_me/diet_obesity_microbes_1