Weight loss or weight gain
Certain types of gut bacteria can cause weight loss, especially when they grow too numerous in the small intestine, a condition called SIBO (small intestine bacterial overgrowth). Too many microbes in the small intestines can interfere with absorption of vitamins, minerals, and fat. “If you’re not able to digest and absorb fat normally, you can actually see some weight loss,” Fischer says. Other types of bacteria have been linked to weight gain as certain microbes are able to harvest more calories from foods than others.
You’re anxious
Roughly 80 to 90 percent of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that affects mood, social behavior, sleep, appetite, memory, and even libido, is produced in the gut. When less serotonin is produced, it can negatively impact mood. “Gut imbalances of the microbiome can trigger depressive symptoms,” says Todd LePine, MD, a board certified physician at the UltraWellness Center in Lenox, Massachusetts.
