gut

In an extensive study at the University of California, Riverside, researchers have found that high consumption of soybean oil can lead to an increase in harmful bacteria in the gut, potentially causing colitis and IBD. The linoleic acid in soybean oil was identified as the primary concern, with researchers observing that excess amounts negatively affect the gut microbiome.UC Riverside-led mouse study reports diets high in soybean oil decrease endocannabinoids in the gut and can lead to colitis.High consumption of soybean…

Tanya Lewis: Hi, this is Your Health, Quickly, a Scientific American podcast series! Josh Fischman: We highlight the latest vital health news: Discoveries that affect your body and your mind.   Lewis: And we break down the medical research to help you stay healthy.  I’m Tanya Lewis. Fischman: I’m Josh Fischman. Lewis: We’re Scientific American’s senior health editors.  On today’s show, we’re talking about how the stuff that goes on in your brain is connected to symptoms in your gut. Scientists have found molecular…

A new study reveals that melatonin, commonly known for its antioxidant effects and role in regulating sleep cycles, may actually aggravate intestinal inflammation and disrupt gut microbiota, which plays a crucial role in digestion, immunity, and overall health. Despite its popular use as a sleep aid, Professor Cristina Ribeiro de Barros Cardoso warns that melatonin supplementation can potentially cause adverse health effects.A study has indicated that the hormone, which is readily available for purchase from drugstores…

Postbiotics help to shift our gut microbiome towards a healthy composition.Joining prebiotics and probiotics is the latest advancement in gut health, known as “postbiotics”. Here is what they are, and why they are important. When it comes to our health, many of us are familiar with prebiotics and probiotics, along with their significant advantages for our digestive health, even if distinguishing between them can be challenging. But what about postbiotics?For a brief overview, probiotics are living microorganisms, often…

The link between autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and the body's 'second brain' is more apparent than ever before.A new paper, authored by no less than 43 scientists of various disciplines, has found the strongest link yet between gut microbes, host immunity, genetic expression in the nervous system, and dietary patterns.The new analysis does not confirm autism's underlying causes, nor does it identify specific subtypes as other research has attempted, but rather reveal a more generalized gut profile that seems to be…

The human gut is teeming with trillions of microbes, but most studies of this vast community have focused on people living in urban regions. Now, a team of researchers has sequenced gut microbiomes from Hadza people — members of a hunter-gatherer society in northern Tanzania — and compared them with those from people in Nepal and California. The study has found not only that the Hadza tend to have more gut microorganisms than people in the other groups, but that a Western lifestyle seems to diminish the diversity of gut…

What if the microbes in your gut could act as an early warning system, alerting you that you could be developing Alzheimer's disease?This might sound improbable, but recent research has found certain microbes are more common in those with very early signs of the disease, pointing to a potential new method of diagnosis for a disease that affects millions worldwide.The gut microbiome is the collection of microbes, which include bacteria, viruses, and fungi, in the gut.Having diverse populations of microbes is thought to be…

Colon polyps are abnormal growths that develop in the lining of the colon or rectum. While most polyps are benign, some can become cancerous over time.Grasping the connection between the gut microbiome and the polyp growth paves the way for potential diagnostic procedures and treatments.Researchers from Mass General Brigham have recently published a study in the journal Cell Host & Microbe that establishes a connection between specific gut bacteria and the formation of precancerous polyps in the colon.“Researchers…

There are all kinds of bacteria living in our gut, contributing to the healthy (or unhealthy) processes going on inside our bodies, but it turns out that we've lost a lot of the microbes that we once shared with our ancient primate ancestors.Looking at genetic material in the guts of modern-day chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes troglodytes and P. t. schweinfurthii) and bonobos (P. paniscus), researchers traced back the lineages of their gut bacteria millions of years, before comparing them with the microbes that now live in…

A study published in PLOS Biology indicates that microorganisms significantly influence the social development of zebrafish by affecting neural pruning in the developing brain. The absence of microbiota early in development led to inhibited social behavior and denser neural connections, but the addition of intestinal bacteria restored normal development, highlighting a critical role of microbiota in neural pruning and social behavior in zebrafish larvae.Germ-free larvae have altered neural connections due to a reduction…