Obesity is currently considered a global epidemic and it leads to several alterations on the human body and its metabolism. There are evidences showing that the intestinal microbiota can influence on the pathogenesis of obesity. Microbiota plays a vital role not only in the digestion and absorption of nutrients, but also in the homeostatic maintenance of host immunity, metabolism, and gut barrier. Its dietary alteration is an important target in the treatment of obesity. Emerging evidence suggests that modifying the composition of the gut microbiota through probiotic, prebiotic, and synbiotic supplementation may be a viable adjuvant treatment option for obese individuals. In this review, the impact of probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics on the anthropometric profile, biochemical regulation, clinical, and immunological markers, as well as on the gut microbiota of obese hosts is described. It also emphasizes how changes in the composition and/or metabolic activity of the gut microbiota through the administration of nutrients with probiotic, prebiotic, or synbiotic properties can modulate the host’s gene expression and metabolism, and thereby positively influence on the host’s adipose tissue development and related metabolic disorders. The beneficial effects on the host’s metabolism promoted by prebiotics, probiotics, and synbiotics have been successfully demonstrated by several studies. However, further investigation is needed to fully explain the cellular mechanisms of action of probiotics and prebiotics on human health, and also to elucidate the relationship between microbiota and obesity etiology, using well-designed, long-term, and large-scale clinical interventions.

肥胖症目前被认为是全球流行病，它导致人体及其新陈代谢发生多种变化。有证据表明肠道菌群可以影响肥胖的发病机理。微生物群不仅在营养的消化和吸收方面起着至关重要的作用，而且在维持宿主免疫力，新陈代谢和肠屏障的体内平衡中也起着至关重要的作用。它的饮食改变是肥胖症治疗的重要目标。新兴证据表明，通过益生菌，益生元和合生元补充剂改变肠道微生物群的组成可能是肥胖个体可行的辅助治疗选择。在这篇评论中，益生菌，益生元和合生元对人体测量学特征，生化调节，临床和免疫标志物的影响，还描述了肥胖宿主的肠道微生物群。它还强调了通过施用具有益生菌，益生元或合生元特性的营养素来改变肠道菌群的组成和/或代谢活性，可以如何调节宿主的基因表达和代谢，从而对宿主的脂肪组织发育和相关的代谢紊乱。益生元，益生菌和合生元对宿主代谢的有益作用已通过多项研究成功证明。但是，需要进行进一步的研究，以充分解释益生菌和益生元对人体健康的细胞作用机制，并使用精心设计的长期和大规模临床干预措施来阐明微生物群与肥胖病因之间的关系。