Kombucha defeats harmful microbes

A cup of black kombucha bubble tea is not just a fancy drink, but a real gut health booster. Scientists have found that daily consumption of this fermented tea changes the microflora, removing bacteria associated with obesity and supporting beneficial microbes. The benefits are especially noticeable for those struggling with extra pounds. Their findings, published in The Journal of Nutrition, are based on an eight-week trial with 38 participants divided into normal weight and obese groups.

Obesity is trouble for a billion people, and the numbers are only growing. Genetics, habits and environment all play a role, but the gut has been the center of attention. If its microflora is out of balance, it can fuel weight gain. Kombucha, created through a symbiosis between bacteria and yeast, is rich in phenols, substances that help the body keep in balance. Scientists decided to test how it affects people and compared data before and after two months of daily intake.

The experiment involved adults between 18 and 45 years old, with no chronic diseases other than obesity. Each was given 200 ml of lab-grown black tea kombucha per day. To rule out the influence of other factors, participants filled out food and movement questionnaires, making sure their diet and activity did not change. Blood, urine, and stool samples were collected at the beginning and end to see how the drink reshaped the gut microbial world.

The benefits were clear: kombucha, with its 145 phenolic compounds, including flavonoids and phenolic acids, revitalized the microflora. Obese people have increased numbers of beneficial bacteria, such as Subdoligranulum, which produce butyrate, a fuel for the gut. Harmful microbes like Ruminococcus and Dorea, on the other hand, which often thrive when overweight, dramatically declined, returning to normal. Even fungi in the gut like Saccharomyces became more active, although their diversity in obese people dropped slightly.

Remarkably, the drink did not change the levels of short-chain fatty acids such as butyrate in the samples, and gut permeability remained the same. This suggests that kombucha acts subtly, rearranging microbes but not changing all processes at once. For overweight people, the effect was brighter than for those with normal weight – their microflora literally blossomed, giving hope for new approaches to fighting obesity.

Kombucha is not a magic pill, but its power lies in its simplicity. A daily serving of a drink rich in natural compounds can be part of a healthy lifestyle, especially for those who want to ease the strain on their bowels. Scientists emphasize: new experiments with control groups and longer term are needed to consolidate these findings. But it’s already clear – a couple of sips of kombucha a day can make your GI tract happier.