Effects of Wilac D001 (Weissella confusa WIKIM51) Supplementation on Metabolic Parameters and Central Adiposity in Overweight Adults: A 12-Week Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial.

Recent research has emphasized the importance of gut microbiota in regulating energy and lipid metabolism as well as gut hormone secretion, indicating that probiotics could contribute to improving metabolic parameters associated with excess adiposity. This study evaluated the metabolic effects of Weissella confusa WIKIM51 (Wilac D001) and explored the potential involvement of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1)-related mechanisms. First, GLP-1 secretory activity following Wilac D001 treatment was evaluated in vitro using STC-1 enteroendocrine cells. Male C57BL/6 mice were fed a high-fat diet to induce obesity-associated metabolic dysregulation, and Wilac D001 was orally administered for 10 weeks. Glucose tolerance was subsequently examined using an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). Finally, in a 12-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, overweight adults aged 19-64 years received either Wilac D001 (1.0 × 1010 colony-forming units/day) or a placebo. Blood lipid parameters, glycated hemoglobin, abdominal fat distribution, body composition, body weight, regional anthropometric measures, and lifestyle factors were evaluated. Wilac D001 significantly increased GLP-1 secretion in STC-1 cells versus the control (p < 0.01). High-fat diet-fed mice administered Wilac D001 exhibited lower fasting blood glucose levels and more rapid glucose recovery during the OGTT (p < 0.01). In the clinical trial, Wilac D001 supplementation led to reductions in several markers, including a significant reduction in triglyceride levels, alongside improvements in total abdominal fat area, visceral fat area, and subcutaneous fat area. No serious adverse events were reported. These findings support the potential of Wilac D001 as a functional probiotic for promoting microbiome-based metabolic health management.