Super-donors could be the key to fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) success. While FMT is an approved treatment for C. diff infection, it has shown very little promise in treating other dysbiosis (gut bacteria imbalance) –related chronic diseases. A recent review article looked at the evidence supporting the idea of FMT “super donors”; donors who possess specific microbial composition […]
Those who use antidepressants are significantly more likely to experience severe gastrointestinal bleeding, and the risk is increased in those who take over-the-counter pain relievers (such as Advil, Motrin, Aleve, Coumadin, aspirin, and Plavix). The 2019 review study looked at selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), prescribed to 13% of Americans 12 years and older and the […]
A reduction in specific gut bacteria is linked to lower quality of life and incidents of depression. The study – one of the most compelling in illustrating the influence the gut microbiota has on mental health – included 1,063 participants enrolled in Belgium’s Flemish Gut Flora Project. Using DNA sequencing to analyze fecal microbiota, researchers compared […]
The same meal results in vastly different blood glucose levels across individuals. For one week a recent study monitored blood glucose levels and measured glucose responses to 46, 898 meals across 800 participants. After finding extreme variations in blood glucose levels in the participants after consuming identical meals, researchers successfully created an algorithm – taking into […]
In the absence of fiber, gut bacteria eat the protective mucus layer in the colon, the gut’s primary defense mechanism against intestinal pathogens. In a mouse model, the study found that without dietary fiber, both in chronic and intermittent situations, gut bacteria begin consuming secreted mucus glycoproteins as a nutrient source, leading to the destruction […]
The gut microbiome in the first 2 years of life strongly correlates with body mass index (BMI) at age 12. A Norwegian study analyzed the gut microbiota at days 4, 10, 30, 120, 365, and 730 and the association with BMI at age 12 in 165 study participants. The researchers also looked at how BMI related […]
Are cholesterol-lowering drugs necessary? Essential oils may be just as effective. A recent study fed rats a high fat diet for 6 weeks that resulted in high cholesterol. Over the subsequent 6 weeks the rats maintained their high fat diets but were given oral doses of ginger and rosemary oils, alone and in combination. Oil administration […]
The tongue microbiome could help identify patients with early stage pancreatic cancer. While previous research shows a strong connection between gut microbial alterations and pancreatic cancer, this study is the first to show changes in the tongue microbiome. 30 patients with early-stage pancreatic cancer and 25 healthy individuals participated in the study. Analysis of the tongue […]
A low sugar diet is an effective treatment in boys with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The study included 40 boys with NAFLD between the ages of 11 and 16. Half of the boys adopted a low sugar diet (added sugars making up less than 3% of total calorie intake) for 8 weeks, while the other […]
Gardening could be just as important in living longer as diet, exercise, and social connection. Researchers found that gardening is a common theme amongst centurions living in blue zones (areas of the world with the highest number of people over 100 years of age), and that those in their 60’s who garden regularly have a 32% lower […]