Review – 6/27/17

1. Minor alterations in gut bacteria may extend lifespan. A concept that has been around since the early 20^th century is now ringing true in scientific studies. In the most recent study linking the microbiome with longevity, researchers injected worms with the E. coli bacterium strain. Altering a single gene in the strain in some of the worms extended their lifespan. Cell

 

2. Bacteria expelled during coughs and sneezes can travel up to 4 meters and can stay alive for up to 45 minutes. While after reading this you may want to wear a mask for the rest of your life, keep in mind that your gut bacteria heavily determine whether or not you get sick. The more diverse and balanced your gut terrain, the more robust your immune system. Plos One

 

3. Microbial health is closely linked to bone health, including bone remodeling, development, and growth. Scientists use germ-free mice to illustrate the effects of antibiotics and probiotics on bone health. Current Osteoporosis Reports

 

4. Vaginal bacteria help protect against Zika and Herpes. A recent study showed that a vaginal terrain rich in Lactobacillus could reduce and possibly prevent infection with Zika and herpes simplex virus-2 by changing gene expression within vaginal cells. American Society of Microbiology

 

5. Diet therapy proves effective in inducing remission in Crohn’s patients resistant to biologics. After 6 weeks, 13 out of 21 biologic-resistant patients achieved remission on the Crohn’s Disease Exclusion Diet. Journal of Crohn’s and Colitis

 

6. No link was found between PPI use and dementia/Alzheimer’s disease. These findings contrast those of a study conducted last February. Journal of The American Geriatrics Society

 

7. Personalizing drug therapy based on an individual’s microbiome could be the next step in modern medicine. Everyone metabolizes drugs differently and drugs have varying effectiveness across individuals, which scientists are finding is largely due to variances in the microbiome. Current Opinion in Systems Biology

 

8. An exhausted immune system shows a causal link to irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea (IBS-D). After following IBS-D patients for 1 year and comparing blood work, scientists found “run down” immune cells (T-cells) – a common T-cell reaction when facing chronic disease. This is the first finding of its kind, and researchers are hopeful this will help in developing a deeper understanding of and future treatments for the disease. Gut

 

9. Donor stool rich in Bifidobacteria could be an indicator for successful fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) treatment in IBS patients. In a recent study of 10 participants, researchers found that Bifidobacterium significantly improved microbial diversity and balance, as well as psychological state after 4 weeks. Digestion

 

10. The Gut Makeover diet induces a myriad of positive physical, mental, and emotional changes. When adopted by 21 healthy participants for 4 weeks, the diet brought on weight loss and significant improvements in digestion, cognition (including memory), and overall physical and emotional (anxiety and depression) well-being. The diet focuses on foods that induce positive microbial change and was created by Jeannette Hyde, a registered nutrition therapist. Plos One

 

By: Leslie Ann Berg, MSPH