Relationship between gut health and unhealthy fat?

[starsandsun]

It seems to me that a reasonable connection exists between healthy stomachs and body condition, and in one instance in particular I’m interested in the wisdom of others.

In the past year, as some of you might remember from other posts, my boy has been incredibly sick with nearly weekly colic from last November through July. Multiple hospital admissions, every testing you could imagine, all the expensive drugs month after month, until an internist vet, who is always with the vanguard, recommended something different that made all the difference.

The result has been incredible healing in his stomach, and resolution of inflammation in the small intestine and colon. He hasn’t felt this good in probably years.

My observation is that now that he is healthy, he seems to be putting on healthy weight, as opposed to the fat pads that plagued us for years.

So I wonder if stomach health and good digestion changes how fat is stored. Any thoughts?

[Scribbler]

@starsandsun

It seems to me that a reasonable connection exists between healthy stomachs and body condition, and in one instance in particular I’m interested in the wisdom of others.

In the past year, as some of you might remember from other posts, my boy has been incredibly sick with nearly weekly colic from last November through July. Multiple hospital admissions, every testing you could imagine, all the expensive drugs month after month, until an internist vet, who is always with the vanguard, recommended something different that made all the difference.

The result has been incredible healing in his stomach, and resolution of inflammation in the small intestine and colon. He hasn’t felt this good in probably years.

My observation is that now that he is healthy, he seems to be putting on healthy weight, as opposed to the fat pads that plagued us for years.

So I wonder if stomach health and good digestion changes how fat is stored. Any thoughts?

Human science does suggest a link between gut flora and insulin resistance. And insulin resistance can trigger bad fat deposits.

Gut biome in humans is complicated. Different cultures and different individuals have significantly different gut biomes depending on what they were exposed to as infants and small children. So far it’s impossible to say for certain that a particular bacteria or yeast is the cure all for everything or everyone.

I’m sure horses are just as complicated. Foals eat their mothers poop to get gut biomes!

Obviously you don’t need to feed actual probiotic supplements to improve gut biome. Anything you do to help gut health generally will help the gut stabilize and repopulate to its natural optimal level. Which might not be the sturdiest biome out there, but optimal for that horse (or person).

I have long suspected that diarrhea in horses can become chronic because the over active gut never has a chance to replenish its biome and continues to malfunction.

[greywithchrome]

What was it that made the difference?

I think there is for sure a relationship between gut health and unhealthy fat. My mare is fat … there’s no denying that, however what shocks you when you look at her is actually her big bloated belly. I think if I got that under control the rest of her (and her fat pads) would fall into place better.

[starsandsun]

What made a difference was testing stomach fluids for bacteria, and understanding pH levels. So, after antibiotics specific to the bacteria, life is quite different. In the past year he lost alot of weight and looked bad. He is putting weight on, but not fat pads.