The investigators intend to recruit 40 new Profile® members and to randomly divide them into 2 groups; Group A will follow the conventional coaching and diet plan, while group B will also receive a daily dose of the synbiotic treatment (group A will receive a placebo supplement similar in appearance and caloric content to the synbiotic treatment). Volunteers will be followed for 6 months, and weight loss, waist circumference, BMI and glucose and cholesterol levels will be assessed monthly. Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) will be used to analyze body composition at the beginning and end of the dietary interventions. Fecal samples will be obtained at the beginning and the end of the study. Because both our pre- and probiotic supplements have been reported to increase the concentration of satiating bacteria-derived metabolites, we expect that the individuals on the group B (synbiotic supplement) will experience a higher weight loss as well as more significant drops in glucose and cholesterol levels. Because synbiotic treatments have been reported to facilitate GI passage, the investigators expect volunteers in group B will also report improved bowels movements and general wellbeing.
