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Huating Li, Lei Zhang, Jun Li | Nature Metabolism | (2024)
Abstract
Emerging evidence suggests that modulation of gut microbiota by dietary fibre may offer solutions for metabolic disorders. In a randomized placebo-controlled crossover design trial (ChiCTR-TTRCC-13003333) in 37 participants with overweight or obesity, we test whether resistant starch (RS) as a dietary supplement influences obesity-related outcomes. Here, we show that RS supplementation for 8 weeks can help to achieve weight loss (mean -2.8 kg) and improve insulin resistance in individuals with excess body weight. The benefits of RS are associated with changes in gut microbiota composition. Supplementation with Bifidobacterium adolescentis, a species that is markedly associated with the alleviation of obesity in the study participants, protects male mice from diet-induced obesity. Mechanistically, the RS-induced changes in the gut microbiota alter the bile acid profile, reduce inflammation by restoring the intestinal barrier and inhibit lipid absorption. We demonstrate that RS can facilitate weight loss at least partially through B. adolescentis and that the gut microbiota is essential for the action of RS.
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Key Takeaways
Plain English Takeaway
Eating a special kind of starch that your body can't digest helps people lose weight by changing the types of bacteria in their gut. These changes also make the body handle sugar better and reduce inflammation.
Study Aim
The main goal of this study was to find out if taking resistant starch (RS—a type of dietary fiber that resists digestion in the small intestine and is fermented by gut bacteria) as a supplement could help people with overweight or obesity lose weight and improve their metabolism. The researchers also wanted to understand how changes in the gut microbiota (the community of bacteria living in the intestines) might be responsible for these effects.
Simply put: The study wanted to see if a special fiber could help people lose weight by changing their gut bacteria.
Study Design
The researchers conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial with 37 adults who were overweight or obese. Each participant consumed either resistant starch (RS) or a control starch (CS) for 8 weeks, with a 4-week break in between. All participants ate the same balanced diet during the study. The team measured body weight, fat, waist size, insulin sensitivity, and gut bacteria before and after each intervention. They also transplanted gut bacteria from human participants into mice to see if the effects could be reproduced in animals.
Simply put: The study gave people a special starch or a regular starch, checked their health and gut bacteria, and tested the results in mice.
Findings
The study reveals that 8 weeks of resistant starch (RS) supplementation led to significant weight loss (average 2.8 kg), reduced fat mass, and smaller waistlines compared to the control starch. RS also improved insulin sensitivity and lowered inflammation markers. These benefits were linked to changes in the gut microbiota, especially an increase in Bifidobacterium adolescentis (a beneficial gut bacterium). When gut bacteria from RS-treated humans were transplanted into mice, the mice also lost weight and had better metabolism. The research demonstrates that RS works by reshaping the gut microbiota, which in turn changes bile acids, strengthens the gut barrier, reduces inflammation, and limits fat absorption. The presence of B. adolescentis was key to these effects, and RS did not work in germ-free mice unless B. adolescentis was added. The authors recommend RS as a dietary supplement for weight loss, but note that long-term effects and broader applicability need further study.
Simply put: Eating resistant starch helped people lose weight and improved their health by changing their gut bacteria, and these changes were important for the benefits.
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Created: Mar 28, 2026