The secret behind Clostridium difficile strength is uncovered. C. Diff, a harmful bacterial infection that often takes hold after antibiotic exposure and is more common in hospitals, was found to release para-cresol, a special compound that prevents other bacteria from growing. This compound gives C. Diff a competitive advantage and dominance over the intestinal microbiota. PLOS C. Diff affects half a million […]
Do you struggle to lose weight? Your microbiome could have something to do with it. A recent study implemented a 3-month lifestyle intervention in 26 overweight and obese adults (aged 18 to 65) and compared weight loss success (defined as losing 5% or more of baseline body weight) with microbial composition. Results showed an association between […]
Scientists have discovered a key factor in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) prevention: reducing meat consumption. A recent study looked at the daily dietary habits of 3,882 seventy-year old adults and their liver scans. Scans showed that 34% of study subjects had NAFLD, despite many of them being a healthy weight. Those who were overweight and […]
A new study uncovers evidence that a single course of antibiotics may irreversibly damage important beneficial gut bacteria. Using a computer model based on past studies that looked at how antibiotics affect the microbiome, scientists found that even after 1 year of taking a single antibiotic prescription, overall gut bacteria was less diverse with fewer species. […]
Have arthritis or at risk for developing arthritis? A new study found that both rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA) have specific oral microbial footprints that could be used in screening and early detection of the disease. Scientists analyzed saliva from 110 RA patients and 68 OA patients and compared these to 155 healthy subjects. Scientific Reports […]
A new study shows a link between gut bacterial imbalances and life threatening forms of lupus for the first time. Blood and stool samples were analyzed in 61 women with systemic lupus erythematosis (SLE) and compared to those of 17 healthy women of matched age and racial backgrounds. Results showed that women with the disease had […]
Bariatric surgery results in long-term microbial depletion. Bariatric surgeries, adjustable gastric banding and Roux-en-Y-gastric bypass may improve gut bacteria richness in some, but microbial abundance remains depleted even up to 5 years after surgery. This study illustrates the need for microbial interventions, such as dietary interventions, prebiotic/probiotic supplementation, and possibly fecal microbiota transplantation before and/or after […]
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 […]
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 […]