Digestive Health

Gut Health and Healthy Aging Intrinsically Linked

One of the largest human microbiota studies ever conducted has found a strong correlation between gut health and healthy aging. According to the study, people who live to 100 have unique gut microbiome ecosystems similar to those found in healthy 30-year-olds. This study is just the latest in a growing body of research into the myriad of beneficial effects of good gut health.

Gut Health and Healthy Aging: What’s the Link?

According to a new study published in the journal mSphere, gut health may be more important than ever suspected. The study was conducted by researchers at Ontario’s Lawson Health Research Institute of Western University in collaboration with researchers at the Tianyi Health Science Institute in China.

Researchers analyzed gut microbiota of about 1,000 extremely healthy people between ages three and 100. All participants were selected based on extreme health, which was defined as being free of reported disease, including in family members. No participants smoked, drank alcohol, reported moodiness or had been prescribed antibiotics or drugs in the last three months. All participants reported no family history of gastrointestinal, cardiometabolic or neurological disease.

16S Ribosomal RNA sequencing was used to analyze the specific microbial composition of the guts of study participants. The study discovered several important findings: Extremely healthy seniors were found to have a microbial composition similar to people who were much younger. There were major differences found in gut microbiota only before the age of 20. Between the ages of 30 and 100, microbiota remained mostly the same. Overall, the composition of gut bacteria seems more variable in men than in women. According to the study authors, the findings suggest the gut bacteria of healthy aged people differ very little from that of younger people who are in very good health.

While researchers hope this type of research can lead to new microbiome diagnostic systems and use probiotics and diet to improve health biomarkers, they still do not understand causality. Researchers do not know if healthy aging is predicated by gut bacteria or if eating well and exercising leads to improved gut bacteria and health.

Gut Bacteria Influences Many Areas of Health

Over the last few years, researchers have found other ways in which gut bacteria can influence health, mood and even behavior. Some of the most surprising studies found that gut bacteria can influence diet. Two separate studies analyzed the impact of gut bacteria on diet and reproductive success in fruit flies. One study found that bacteria in the guts of flies had an effect on their foraging habits and the influence could be passed down to future generations. The researchers found the flies do not forage only for nutrients to balance their diet but also to encourage healthy cultures of gut bacteria. The second study found that gut bacteria influences the investment fruit flies make in reproduction, their reproductive success and even the body mass of offspring.

Researchers believe they are only scratching the surface of the roles gut bacteria play in human health. What is known is microorganisms in the gut, dubbed the “microbiome,” affect physiological traits. Stress, the gastrointestinal system and the immune system are all known to interact with each other. In fact, psychological stress even causes an almost immediate change in gut bacteria populations. Some bacteria also influence how stress affects the immune system.

Stress, due to its effect on bacteria in the gut and the immune system, can even change brain function. Researchers have found that gut bacteria can affect depression, stress, memory and anxiety in some people. Gut bacteria can even communicate and produce the same neurochemicals used by the brain to transmit information. These neurochemicals produced by gut bacteria include GABA, serotonin and dopamine, which regulate mood.

How to Maintain Healthy Gut Bacteria

There are nearly 40 trillion bacteria in the human body, most of them in the intestines. This growing body of research shows the importance of maintaining healthy gut bacteria. In general, a diverse microbiota is considered healthy as the more species of bacteria in the gut, the greater the number of potential health benefits they can contribute.

There are many ways to influence the types of bacteria in your gut and foster the growth of beneficial bacteria. The best way is eating a diet rich in beans, fruit, legumes, vegetables and fermented foods like kefir, kimchi and yogurt. Fermented foods are usually high in lactobacilli, a form of bacteria with health benefits. People who consume a lot of yogurt tend to have more lactobacilli in their intestines and fewer Enterobacteriaceae, which is associated with chronic diseases and inflammation.

Focus on a diverse diet with many different types of foods. A Western diet is not diverse and high in sugar and fat. It’s estimated that three-quarters of the world’s food supply comes from just 12 species of plants and five species of animals. Some studies have indicated that gut microbiota is more diverse in rural areas of South America and Africa than the US and Europe as rural regions usually have a diverse diet.

Artificial sweetener should be avoided because it has been found to negatively impact gut bacteria. Saccharin, in particular, has been found to significantly influence the balance of bacteria in humans. Finally, taking a high-quality prebiotic/probiotic formula can help maintain a healthy balance of gut microflora and promote overall good health.

Omega-3 and Gut Health: How Fatty Acids Encourage Bacterial Diversity

Sep 20 by Ewcopywriting Leave a Comment

While previous research has found that omega-3 fatty acids can help with inflammatory bowel disease and much more, a new study has shed more light on the link between omega-3 and gut health. According to the study, people who eat a diet high in omega-3 fatty acids have greater bacterial diversity in their guts. This can promote improved overall health.

What are Omega-3 Fatty Acids?

Omega-3 fatty acids are considered essential fatty acids. Fatty acids are considered essential to health, but our bodies can’t make them. Instead, we must consume them through food.

Omega-3 fatty acids have numerous proven benefits. Fatty acids appear to reduce LDL or “bad” cholesterol, reduce high blood pressure and support healthy cardiovascular function. Research has suggested omega-3 fatty acids can even reduce rheumatoid arthritis symptoms, strengthen bones and guard against age-related cognitive decline.

A recent study published in Nature Communications found that omega-3 fatty acids also play a big role in metabolism and weight gain. The study suggested that omega-3 can activate beige and brown fat, boost metabolism and guard against obesity and related conditions like Type 2 diabetes. Brown fat differs from regular white fat, which stores calories. Brown fat burns energy and produces heat. It was previously believed that only babies had brown fat as they do not have the ability to shiver to maintain body temperature, but research has found otherwise. When brown fat deposits are activated, calories are converted to heat and white fat deposits are reduced.

When it comes to omega-3 fatty acids and digestion, it’s believed that omega-3 helps maintain a balance of bacteria in the gut while encouraging the growth of good bacteria. Because omega-3 has a strong anti-inflammatory effect, it can also reduce the effects of inflammatory bowel disorders like Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. One study suggested that daily intake of omega-3 fatty acid may help prevent or induce remission of inflammatory bowel disease.

The Link Between Omega-3 and Gut Health

The human gut supports a diverse population of bacteria that are essential to overall health. It’s estimated that 38 trillion bacteria live in the average human gut and work to keep the immune system healthy. Low microbial diversity of the gut has been linked to bowel cancer, irritable bowel syndrome and other conditions.

A new study published in Scientific Reports, led by Dr. Ana Valdes of the University of Nottingham and a team of researchers, set out to investigate the link between omega-3 consumption and microbial diversity in the guts of middle-aged and senior women.

The team examined levels of DHA, a form of omega-3 fatty acid, omega-3 serum levels and microbiome data from almost 900 twins. The same group of women had previously been used to analyze human genetic contribution to bacteria in the gut and how it relates to disease and weight gain.

According to the researchers, omega-3 fatty acids improve the biodiversity of gut bacteria. Higher consumption of omega-3 and higher serum levels of omega-3 were “Strongly associated with the diversity and number of species of healthy bacteria in the gut,” Dr. Valdes reported. The researchers also found that people who consumed more omega-3 fatty acids had higher levels of specific bacteria previously associated with a lower risk of obesity and inflammation.

After conducting further investigation, the researchers found that high levels of omega-3 fatty acids were linked with high levels of a compound known as NCG in the gut. In animal studies, NCG has been found to reduce oxidative stress in the gut. The team believes at least some of the beneficial effects of omega-3 fatty acids in the gut occur because omega-3 induces bacteria to produce NCG.

How to Increase Omega-3 Consumption

The best natural source of omega-3 fatty acids is fish, which has forms of omega-3 called DHA and EPA. A form of omega-3 called ALA is found in vegetable oil, dark leafy greens and walnuts, but the body is not able to produce as much omega-3 from ALA as from fatty fish sources. A dose of 600mg per day is usually recommended for adults.

Good sources of omega-3 fatty acid include:

mackerel: 4,107 mg of omega-3 fatty acid per serving
salmon: 4,023 mg per serving
cod liver oil: 2,664 mg per serving
herring: 3,181 mg per serving
oysters: 565 mg per serving
sardines: 2,205 mg per serving
anchovies: 951 mg per serving
flaxseeds: 2,338 mg per serving
chia seeds: 4,915 mg per serving
walnuts: 2,542 mg per serving

If you have trouble consuming a diet high in fish, another option is taking an omega-3 fatty acid supplement. Omega-3 supplements make it easier to hit the daily recommended dose without eating fish every day. Supplements can contain omega-3 fatty acids from a fish source without the taste of fish.

Gut Bacteria Found to Influence Diet, Reproductive Success and More

Aug 09 by Ewcopywriting Leave a Comment

A growing body of research suggests that bacteria in the gut influence overall human health. While past research has indicated that trillions of bacteria thriving in the human digestive tract can affect everything from immune system function and nutrition to mood, two new studies have found that gut bacteria influence diet as well as reproductive success in fruit flies. These new findings may have important implications for humans.

How Gut Bacteria Influence Diet

The digestive tract of humans and most other animals contain trillions of microorganisms that are known to affect many physiological traits. Two new studies from the Macquarie University Department of Biological Sciences and the University of Sydney’s SOLES department examined the impact of gut bacteria in fruit flies.

The research, which was published in Current Biology, found that gut bacteria in the flies had an effect on their foraging habits and ultimately their reproductive success. The research also indicated that this influence could be passed down to the next generation of fruit flies.

The teams found that fruit flies do not simply forage for nutrients that will balance their diet; they also forage for bacteria to encourage healthy cultures in their digestive tract. The fruit flies showed a strong preference for smells associated with beneficial forms of bacteria in food with less preference shown for foods lacking these types of bacteria.

Gut Bacteria Also Influences Reproductive Success

A separate study, conducted by the same team of researchers, examined the reproductive success of fruit flies based on changes in gut bacteria. Researchers began by inoculating fruit flies with different species of microbes to examine how the changes in gut bacteria influenced the sexual interaction of the flies.

This study, published in Biology Letters, found that the investment the flies make in reproduction and their ultimate success, along with offspring body mass, was influenced by bacteria in the gut.

Gut Bacteria Can Trick Flies Into Reproduction

These are not the only studies published this year on fruit flies and gut bacteria. Another study, published in PLOS Biology, demonstrated how the bacteria influence the flies’ nutritional decisions. Researchers divided the flies into three groups. One was fed a solution with all necessary amino acids and the second group received a mix of amino acids necessary to make protein but without the amino acids to synthesize it. With the third group, researchers removed amino acids one by one to analyze which could be detected by the bacteria.

After three days, flies in all groups received a buffet with their typical solution or the option of a protein-rich yeast. The flies in the groups without amino acids got a strong craving for the yeast to make up for the nutrients. When five types of bacteria were introduced, the flies lost the desire to eat protein. The team also found that the amino acid levels in the flies were not replenishing, which indicates the bacteria were not replacing nutrients in the flies’ diet by producing the amino acids but instead turning them into new chemicals. The researchers believe the bacteria was producing chemicals that may tell the host fly it could continue without amino acids. This would trick the flies into continuing reproduction, even though the deficiency would impact cell growth.

This study found that Acetobacter and Lactobacillus bacteria were the most effective at influencing the flies’ appetites. Increasing the levels of both bacteria could essentially suppress a fly’s appetite for protein and encourage sugar consumption, restoring reproductive function when it would normally be hampered by the nutritional deficiency.

Previous research has also shown that fruit flies prefer mating with partners who have a similar gut bacteria composition rather than flies whose gut bacteria is too different from their own.

Maintaining a Healthy Balance of Gut Bacteria

In humans and other animals, microorganisms in the gut and on the body—collectively called the microbiome—play a role in many physiological traits and behaviors. The immune system, gastrointestinal system and stress have all been found to interact. For example, psychological stress causes a near-immediate change in the population of gut bacteria, and some of the bacteria influence the effect of stress on the immune system.

Stress, through its effect on gut bacteria, and the immune system can also alter brain function. In some people, gut bacteria can play a role in anxiety, stress, depression and memory. Researchers have even found that to communicate, gut microbes can produce many of the same neurochemicals that relay information in the human brain. Among these neurochemicals are dopamine, serotonin and GABA, all of which are used by human neurons to regulate mood.

All of this research indicates that it may be more important than anyone really understands to maintain a healthy balance of gut flora. There are several ways to do this, including eating a diet rich in vegetables, legumes, fruit and beans, eating fermented foods like yogurt, kefir and sauerkraut, supplementing with a high-quality probiotic formula and cutting back on artificial sweetener, which may negatively affect gut bacteria.

Discovered: The Relationship Between Healthy Gut Bacteria and IBD

Jun 30 by Ewcopywriting Leave a Comment

Got bacteria? Research on the link between gut bacteria and IBD suggest that a well-balanced intestinal microbiome may be crucial to treating this disease.

An increasing amount of research about the importance of the gut microbiome has flooded science newspapers and journals. We have linked the bacteria that live in our gastrointestinal tracts to digestive health, diabetes risk and even to mental health and mood. The latest research on gut bacteria and IBD suggest that a healthy range of gastrointestinal flora may actually help people with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.

What Is Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)?

Inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD, is not a single disorder but rather a group of several different diseases. All types of IBD cause inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. This category includes Crohn’s disease as well as many different types of chronic colitis. Although the individual conditions grouped together as IBD differ, they all have several things in common. Inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract leads to diarrhea, poor digestion, poor absorption of nutrients and a variety of other symptoms.

There are currently several treatments for IBD, but these are avoided by many people because of their high rates of side effects. Many of these treatments focus on suppressing the immune system, leaving people more susceptible to infections. Many people attempt to control these conditions with diet and natural remedies, but little is known about what may be effective in the battle against IBD. New studies, however, suggest several natural approaches that may make a difference.

Healthy Gut Bacteria and IBD

Doctors recommend eating a healthy diet and developing strategies to deal with stress as ways of dealing with IBD. They also suggest consuming foods or supplements that are rich in probiotics. Probiotics, which are foods or supplements containing bacteria that are part of a healthy GI tract, appear to reduce many of the symptoms of some types of IBD such as ulcerative colitis. Research has found that some cases of IBD are linked to high levels of unhealthy bacteria in the GI tract. A probiotic supplement can colonize the gut with good bacteria which then flourish and crowd out bad bacteria.

New knowledge about the link between certain types of bacteria and IBD also may be helpful for identifying different kinds of IBD. These diseases are currently diagnosed with a biopsy, which requires invasive procedures. Soon, however, doctors may be able to diagnose these diseases with a simple test for different levels of unhealthy bacteria.

Could Plant Fats Help?

There are a lot of theories about what the ideal diet for IBD might be. However, until recently, there was no solid proof to support any of the purported foods. However, new research suggests that eating a diet rich in plant fats may calm much of the inflammation underlying inflammatory bowel disease. Researchers fed lab mice with IBD different kinds of diet and tracked their symptoms along with levels of inflammation in their GI tract. A diet with plenty of plant fats such as coconut oil and cocoa butter appears to reduce inflammation along with the symptoms that it causes.

How can plants fat have this beneficial effect? According to this study, they appear to feed beneficial gut bacteria and help them to flourish. Once again, a healthy gut appears to be dependent on having the right balance of flora.

Treating IBD Naturally

Whether you have IBD or simply have the occasional digestive issue, there is a good chance that you may benefit from a healthier GI tract. People who have healthy digestive systems absorb more nutrition, suffer less cramping and other ill effects and generally lead healthier lives. Because our intestines are responsible for absorbing nutrients and excreting wastes, a lot of medical issues can result when they are out of balance. There are a few ways you can help to support a healthy GI tract, such as:

Reduce stress, or learn ways to deal with it before it affects your health.
Eat plenty of healthy plant fats, such as avocado oil and coconut oil.
Ensure that your diet is rich in probiotics, whether these come from yogurt, kefir, fermented foods or a probiotic supplement.
Avoid antibiotics unless totally necessary, as these kill off your beneficial flora while allowing disease-causing bacteria to flourish.
Eat plenty of soluble fiber, as this feeds the good bacteria that you need for optimal digestion. You can also take a prebiotic supplement that contains the foods that feed a healthy GI tract.
Get plenty of exercise, as this helps your GI tract to move more efficiently.
Avoid saturated fats, concentrated sugars, and processed foods that promote a less healthy digestive system.

Although plant oils and probiotics are not part of a traditional Western diet, they are becoming more popular and more accessible every day. Adding these foods to your diet may be just the healthy change that your body needs to more efficiently and painlessly digest foods. A beneficial balance of gut bacteria is increasingly being linked to the health of the entire body, so the effort will likely pay off.

Turmeric Benefits for Inflammation and Cellular Health

May 26 by Ewcopywriting Leave a Comment

In the Western world, we don’t use turmeric heavily in our diet, although this is beginning to change. Many people are starting to enjoy spicy foods such as curries as part of their daily meals. Pungent spices are an integral part of Middle Eastern cuisine, Indian cuisine and even Latin American foods. In some cultures, turmeric is even made into a tea that is enjoyed both for flavor and as a traditional medicine. Whether you enjoy spicy foods or not, several new studies on turmeric benefits may encourage you to take in more of this potent yellow spice.

An Ancient Natural Remedy

Although most people in the West know turmeric as a yellow spice with a distinctive pungent flavor, it has been used for hundreds of years in other parts of the globe as a medicine. As a plant, turmeric is closely related to the popular spice ginger, which also has been found to have health benefits. It is the reason curries are yellow as well as a component of mustard. Both traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurvedic medicine consider turmeric an important medicine as well. People who take turmeric medicinally can take it as a spice, as a tea and even in capsules.

Traditionally, turmeric has been used to fight infections and reduce inflammation. This is due to a compound called curcumin that is present in high levels in this spice. New studies suggest that it indeed is useful for these health issues. However, it appears to have even more benefits for modern wellness than previously realized.

Turmeric Benefits for Cellular Health and More

Turmeric has been the subject of several recent studies due to its purported health effects. It has antioxidant properties that prevent cell damage from environmental exposures as well as daily wear and tear. In addition, it fights cytokines, the molecules that are responsible for inflammation in our bodies. Proven benefits of turmeric also include reducing chronic joint pain from arthritis.

These actions add up to a lot of benefits for human health. Turmeric is the latest natural wonder compound. It has been shown to affect the size of tumors, prevent heart disease and lessen some of the deadly side effects of cancer treatments. High turmeric intake may be the reason that places such as India have much lower rates of cancer. People who have inflammatory conditions such as ulcerative colitis also may see a reduction in symptoms when taking this spice. It is clear that practitioners of ancient medicine were right about the health benefits of turmeric. Are there any drawbacks to taking this compound?

Potential Drawbacks of Turmeric

As with all compounds, too much turmeric can have drawbacks. While eating this spice in foods or taking a modest dose as a daily supplement are safe for most people, researchers are clear that this spice can have negative health effects in mega doses—as with all dietary supplements. People who take more than 12 grams of turmeric a day may have diarrhea, headaches and skin rashes. In addition, turmeric can cause people to have yellow feces. It can also interact with other drugs, most notably chemotherapy drugs and the popular blood thinner Warfarin. At very high doses, it can even cause some of the inflammation that it treats in more modest amounts.

As with all medicinal compounds, it can be beneficial to take turmeric—but not in huge quantities. In addition, people who take other medications should talk to their doctor to ensure that there are no interactions with other drugs they are prescribed. However, people in India eat large amounts of turmeric as part of their daily diet with no ill effects. It is difficult to get too much of this natural remedy without taking capsules and supplements that contain a higher than recommended dosage.

Future Studies on Turmeric

This spice shows huge promise as a treatment for several of the most common diseases in the developed world. Because of this promise, it is currently being studied more seriously as a future medicine. For example, researchers at Ohio State University are looking at ways to enable better absorption of this spice as well as ways to increase its anti-inflammatory effects. Scientists are also studying its effects on cancer and tumors, with hopes that it may someday be added to the arsenal of chemotherapy drugs on the market. It is also being studied as a treatment for several common diseases of aging, such as Alzheimer dementia and osteoarthritis. While we know much about the benefits of turmeric, it appears that there may be much we do not know yet about its disease-fighting potential.

Turmeric is not the only spice that has been found to have health benefits. It appears that these compounds may not just flavor our foods, but contribute to whole body health. Whether you choose to take a supplement containing turmeric simply eat more curry, adding some extra turmeric to your diet may improve your health in a variety of ways.

New Research Suggests Chronic Fatigue Syndrome May Begin in Your Gut

May 09 by Ewcopywriting Leave a Comment

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a common and complex medical issue. New research suggests that gut health may be important in preventing and treating this disease.

All people have experienced fatigue and exhaustion at some point. However, for some people this is a constant condition. Chronic fatigue syndrome, also known as CFS, is on the rise, yet we understand little about how to prevent or treat it. According to a new study, the health of our gastrointestinal system may be a very important factor in whether we develop this and other autoimmune illnesses.

What Is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?

CFS is a disease in which people are easily tired by even minor physical or mental exertion. While most of us can recover from fatigue with a short rest, people with CFS do not bounce back as quickly. They suffer exhaustion for days on end. In addition, people with CFS also have a variety of other symptoms including a headache, chronic pain, enlarged lymph nodes and difficulty with memory and cognitive tasks.

These symptoms can have debilitating effects on a person’s life. Many people with this disease are unable to maintain a career or even perform basic activities of daily living. More than one million people in the United States are believed to suffer from this disease, yet we still have no definitive test for it, no idea why it happens and very few treatment options. The lack of understanding has even caused some people to believe that this illness is “all in a person’s head.” However, a new study suggests that it could be all in our gut instead.

Links Between Gut Health and Disease

Many studies have come out recently about the importance of your gut microbiome, which consists of the colonies of diverse bacteria that live in your gastrointestinal tract. We are beginning to realize that these bacteria play a very important role in our bodies and may even help prevent and disease. While the presence of bacteria in our guts is necessary and contributes to our health, the balance of these bacteria is very important. Some bacteria have more negative effects than positive and can overgrow under the wrong conditions, crowding out more beneficial species. This imbalance of gut bacteria may be the mechanism behind CFS.

Researchers tested the body fluids of people with CFS for different bacterial markers and compared these to the body fluids of healthy people. The results were surprising: People with CFS had higher levels of pathogenic, or unhealthy, bacteria and lower levels of beneficial ones. Even more surprising, researchers could predict which people had CFS simply by looking for these bacterial markers. Bacterial markers could also be used to predict accurately which people with CFS also had irritable bowel syndrome, a disease that commonly coexists with it.

Inflammation: A Root Cause?

How can bacteria in the gut cause or prevent a disease like CFS? Researchers point out that the bacteria found disproportionately in people with this disease are inherently inflammatory. This may cause a variety of problems, including leaky gut syndrome. The inflammatory markers from these bacteria are present not just in feces, but in the bloodstream of people who suffer from this disease. Inflammation weakens the barriers between the gastrointestinal tract and the bloodstream, allowing these bacteria to affect body systems far removed from the intestines. This explains how bacteria in the gut can have such an immense effect on energy levels and the body as a whole.

This study presents a potential way to identify a disease that currently has no definitive test. In addition, it offers the hope of future treatments for and even prevention of CFS. Doctors may be able to colonize our guts with beneficial bacteria to crowd out the pathogenic ones. In addition, preventing gut inflammation appears to be a very important part of treating this disease. While these therapies are still theoretical, colonizing the gastrointestinal tract with “good bacteria” is already being used successfully to treat conditions such as clostridium difficile (C. diff) infection. The answer to this debilitating disease may be as simple as correcting our microbiome balance.

Maintaining a Healthy Microbiome

Imbalances of gut bacteria have recently been linked to a variety of diseases, leading many people to wonder how they can maintain a healthy GI tract. Unfortunately, the modern Western diet is not conducive to a healthy GI tract. However, there are several things we can do keep that important balance. First, it is important to take in plenty of the good bacteria we need. We can get these from probiotic foods such as yogurt and fermented products, but also from probiotic supplements. Second, it is important to eat foods that feed these bacteria and support their growth, such as high fiber foods. Last, we should avoid antibiotics except where they are absolutely necessary. Antibiotics often kill good bacteria while the species that cause disease tend to be resistant.

Maintaining a healthy GI tract is a very important part of leading a healthy lifestyle. GI imbalances, especially those involving bacteria, have been implicated as the cause of a variety of serious and even life-threatening diseases. While it can be difficult to keep your microbiome balanced in an age of processed foods and antibiotics, the effort may pay off in a longer and healthier life.