Do Probiotics Increase Appetite?
Probiotics are the “good bacteria” in your gut, and they feed on prebiotics (special dietary fibers). Because they affect your digestion, you might be wondering whether probiotics can have an effect on your appetite.
According to a study, probiotic supplementation can improve your appetite. However, the same study discovered that even if our tummies have existing probiotics, prebiotic supplementation might not be enough without probiotic supplementation to achieve the same effect.
So, why do probiotics make you hungry? Will they encourage weight gain or help you lose those extra pounds?
Are there probiotics that can control your hunger or do they have the same effect on your digestive system and appetite?
Let’s discuss these in detail below.
Do Probiotics Increase Appetite?
Yes, it does 100%. Based on the results of a clinical trial published in 2012, probiotics Lactobacillus helveticus and Bifidobacterium longum can help improve appetite.
However, you shouldn’t worry too much about gaining a lot of weight if your appetite increases due to probiotics.

The same study didn’t find a significant difference in the weight or BMI of the study subjects within the 8-week clinical trial period.
The researchers of this clinical trial also studied the effects of prebiotics on the existing probiotics in another set of study subjects’ tummies.
Surprisingly, prebiotic administration in the study didn’t show a significant effect on appetite.
Why Do Probiotics Make Me Feel Hungry?
Although some studies show that probiotics or gut bacteria can make you feel hungry, as discussed above, the exact mechanisms why that happens remain unknown.
However, scientists theorize that these might be affected by the following:
Effect Of Gut Bacteria On Appetite Regulation
Probiotics can improve digestion. By making this process more efficient, the time food spends in your tummy might be shortened, possibly making you feel hungry earlier than you usually did before you took probiotic supplements.
Effect On Your Tummy’s Chemical Composition
Probiotics also have the capability to produce or encourage and influence the production of different types of enzymes, such as certain digestive enzymes, that help digest certain foods.
Many probiotic species such as Lactobacillus casei can produce enzymes such as lactase, which helps with the digestion of lactose (a sugar in dairy products).
Some species from the Lactobacillus genera can increase the production of amylase, an enzyme that helps in carbohydrate digestion.
Probiotics can directly affect your tummy’s chemical composition by helping enrich the specific gut microbial populations which ferment carbohydrates preferentially. Thanks to this mechanism, carbohydrates, and SCFAs (short-chain fatty acids) are processed more efficiently.
But the action can also lead to you feeling hungry because your body has already digested the food in your tummy more quickly.
Probiotics & Controlling Hunger Cravings
Although some probiotics can increase your appetite, this effect isn’t universal because some probiotics may also suppress your appetite and hunger cravings.
For example, one study shows that probiotics can promote the release of the hormone GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1), an appetite-reducing hormone. It resulted in reduced food intake of test subjects.
FAQs
Can Probiotics Make You Gain Weight Due To Increased Appetite?
Surprisingly, studies on probiotics and their effects on weight have conflicting results, depending on the type of bacteria used and their different strains.
One study showed that Lactobacillus acidophilus might result in significant weight gain (in both humans and animals). Meanwhile, Lactobacillus fermentum and Lactobacillus ingluviei appear to promote weight gain in animals, but not in humans.
Based on another study, it appears that these effects could be strain-specific (the probiotics have different strains indicated by different codes). The Lactobacillus gasseri L66-5 strain might promote weight gain.
What is Probiotics’ Effect Of Added Sugars?
Aside from the possibility that the bacterial strains in your probiotic drink might promote weight increase, some products also contain added sugars.
These unhealthy sugars can make the drinks tasty but they can also contribute to weight gain. Added sugars might even increase the risks of obesity.
The good news is that not all probiotic drinks have added sugars. You can find my recommendations below.
What Probiotics Can Prevent Weight Gain?
Still, some studies show that despite the appetite increase, probiotic use might not increase your weight or BMI. The researchers suggest that some probiotics can influence energy usage and appetite through the production of short-chain fatty acids like acetate, butyrate, and propionate, affecting both appetite and weight loss.
In support of this hypothesis, a study showed that Lactobacillus gasseri SBT2055 (LG2055) might gather the fats from the foods you eat so you’ll be absorbing fewer calories. This was shown by the increase in the amount of fats excreted through the feces.
With these fats getting excreted, you might not gain weight even with the increased appetite.
However, the same effect wasn’t seen in these other strains used in the study:
- Lactobacillus gasseri JCM1131T
- Lactobacillus gasseri SBT0317
- Lactobacillus. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus JCM1002T
- Streptococcus thermophilus ATCC19258T
A study showed that Lactobacillus gasseri can promote weight loss in obese humans and in animals, while Lactobacillus plantarum had effects on weight loss in animals.
Another study showed that the following strains might help reduce weight gain and help promote weight loss:
- Lactobacillus gasseri BNR17
- Lactobacillus plantarum LG42
- Lactobacillus gasseri SBT2055
- Lactobacillus plantarum co-therapy with KY103 and Lactobacillus curvatus HY7601
Surprisingly, the same study discovered that these probiotics’ effects might also be affected by other factors, such as host species (humans vs. animals) and even gender.
For example, Lactobacillus rhamnosus GGMCC was shown in this study to help reduce weight in females but didn’t appear to have a significant weight reduction effect on males.
Another interesting result of a study showed that although the group given Lactobacillus gasseri BNR17 didn’t have a significant weight loss difference from the placebo group, they promoted a significant decrease in waist and hip circumferences.
Are Probiotics Good For Weight Loss?
Probiotics are necessary for our bodies to break down or digest food and support a healthy immune system.
However, although they may also promote weight loss, it’s not a guarantee.
As we’ve already discussed above, certain strains appear to help reduce weight but others might also promote weight increase.
Sometimes, you might rely on some trial and error to see if the probiotic supplement will work for you.
Can Probiotics Cause Bloating?
The answer is both a “yes” and a “no.”
Studies show that some probiotics, such as the Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG can help reduce bloating or the feeling of abdominal fullness.
Other studies show that the effect isn’t just limited to this probiotic but can also be achieved with other Lactobacillus strains, Bifidobacterium, and Streptococcus.
However, probiotic use has also been linked to side effects such as bloating, gas production, abdominal pain, and soft stools.
The good news is that these symptoms are often temporary and usually observed during the first few days of taking probiotics.
Do probiotics cause digestive issues?
It’s possible that the digestive issues above are due to taking too many probiotics.
Our bodies produce gas as part of the digestive process. Many of the natural probiotics in our tummies produce gas while they digest the food that we eat.
If you take a supplement with too many probiotics, it might cause some bloating. With so many bacteria processing the food in your tummy, the sudden increase in digestion can lead to quicker gas production.
My Recommendations
In choosing your probiotics, you don’t just focus on whether they can affect your appetite and lead to weight loss or gain. Instead, you should also consider other factors, including effectiveness, quality, and safety.
Here are two of my favorites:
- Probiology Gut+
- Bauer Nutrition Biotics 8
Continue reading to learn more about each probiotic supplement and its best features below.
Probiology Gut+
Of these two options, Probiology Gut+ is my first choice because it offers the best value for your money and can be ideal for men and women (Bauer Nutrition Biotics 8 is designed for men).
Let’s discuss the top benefits of Probiology Gut+ below.
1. Having Potent Bacterial Strains
The potency of probiotics is important because they have to make a long journey with “harsh” conditions from your mouth and through the acidic environment of your gut.
More potent probiotics have a higher chance of making it far.
The Probiology team, with the help of top scientists and nutritionists, picked probiotics for quality over quantity.
Probiology Gut+ contains potent strains of the following good gut bacteria:
- Lactobacillus plantarum
- Lactobacillus acidophilus
- Lactobacillus paracasei
- Bifidobacterium lactis
Each serving of 2 capsules delivers as many as 40 billion CFUs (colony forming units) of these potent bacterial strains but without causing stomach issues, such as bloating.
2. Great “Vehicle” For Protection Against Stomach Acids
The “vehicle” used to deliver probiotics to your tummy and intestines is also important. That’s why it can be a good idea to choose probiotics in capsules because they’re protected through the journey compared to the delivery method of liquid, drinkable probiotic supplements.
Probiology takes pride in its patented MAKtrek® Bipass Technology made from brown seaweed. It helps deliver your probiotics without them getting killed off by stomach acids across their journey.
You get every bit of this product’s good gut bacteria, exactly where you need them to be.
3. Safe & Shelf-stable Probiotics
Safe yet shelf-stable, Probiology Gut+ comes in an easy-to-swallow capsule with the following top features:
- Zero preservatives
- Clinically backed bacterial strains
- No refrigeration needed
- Dairy-free
- Gluten-free
- Soy-free
- Eliminates bloat
- Improves digestion
- Strengthens immune support
- Supports a good mood
- GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) Certification
Guaranteed to make you feel better, the brand even has a 100% satisfaction, 60-day money-back offer.
4. Prebiotics (Packed Lunch For Your Probiotics)
Prebiotics are the food for your probiotics.
Probiology Gut+ comes with prebiotic fibers fructooligosaccharides that help nourish and provide them with food for their long journey down through your stomach and to the small intestines.
It’s like having some packed lunch to eat after a long journey.
Having readily available food can make it easier for your good gut bacteria to thrive and start doing their job even after that long trip across acidic environments in your digestive system.
Bauer Nutrition Biotics 8
For targeted nutrition designed for men, Bauer Nutrition Biotics 8 can be the probiotics for you.
1. 10 Potent Bacterial Strains
Designed for men, Bauer Nutrition Biotics 8 offers high-performance gut support in a blend with the following probiotics:
- Lactobacillus casei
- Lactobacillus acidophilus
- Lactobacillus paracasei
- Lactobacillus plantarum
- Lactobacillus rhamnosus
- Lactobacillus fermentum
- Bifidobacterium bifidum
- Bifidobacterium longum
- Bifidobacterium breve
- Saccharomyces boulardii
Each serving (three capsules) of Bauer Nutrition Biotics 8 can deliver as much as 20 billion CFUs.
2. Extra Vitamins and Other Top Benefits
Bauer Nutrition Biotics 8 also comes with the following:
- 10 mcg of vitamin D
- 20 mg of amylase
- 25 mg of lipase
- 10 mg of protease
It’s not only good for your tummy, this probiotic product can also help:
- Eliminate gas & bloating
- Promote better digestion
- Support a healthier immune system
- Increase energy and focus
- Boost your mood
3. Some Packed Lunch (Prebiotics)
Like Probiology Gut+, Bauer Nutrition is also delivered with a “packed lunch” of prebiotics such as dietary fiber inulin from chicory and fructooligosaccharides.
Conclusion
Some probiotics may increase appetite due to the release of GLP-1. This hormone is released by the gut and has been shown to increase appetite in both humans and animals.
However, there are many different types of probiotics, so not all will have this effect. If you are looking for a probiotic that will help with weight loss or appetite control, look for one that contains Lactobacillus gasseri or Bifidobacterium longum.
These strains have been shown to be more effective at increasing GLP-1 levels and reducing appetite.