Resistant starch intake facilitates weight loss in humans by reshaping the gut microbiota

This randomized placebo-controlled crossover trial investigated the effects of resistant starch (RS) supplementation on obesity-related outcomes in 37 overweight or obese participants. Eight weeks of RS supplementation resulted in a mean weight loss of 2.8 kg and improved insulin resistance, linked to changes in gut microbiota composition, particularly an increase in *Bifidobacterium adolescentis*. Supplementation with *B. adolescentis* protected male mice from diet-induced obesity. Mechanistically, RS altered bile acid profiles, reduced inflammation by restoring the intestinal barrier, and inhibited lipid absorption.

Huating Li, Lei Zhang, Jun Li, Qian Wu, Lingling Qian, Junsheng He, Yueqiong Ni, Petia Kovatcheva-Datchary, Rui Yuan, Shuangbo Liu, Li Shen, Mingliang Zhang, Bin Sheng, Ping Li, Kang Kang, Liang Wu, Qichen Fang, Xiaoxue Long, Xiaolin Wang, Yanli Li, Yaorui Ye, Jianping Ye, Yuqian Bao, Yueliang Zhao, Guowang Xu, Xinyu Liu, Gianni Panagiotou, Aimin Xu, Weiping Jia