Gut Bacteria

New research is offering insights into the relationship between diet, gut bacteria, and intestinal inflammation. The study found consistent associations between pro-inflammatory bacterial species and diets high in fast food, sugar and animal products.

While most microbiome scientists focus on gut bacteria, a new school of research is starting to look at how the communities of fungus in our bodies can influence our metabolic health. A new study suggests fungal diversity may play a role in weight gain.

Two studies are offering new evidence the microbiome is intertwined with our metabolic and brain health. One shows a link between gut bacteria and cognitive changes in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s, while another suggests microbial biomarkers could predict the progression of diabetes.

A study published in Nature Communications indicates a possible genetic association between stomach ulcers and depression. The research found a genetic link between a susceptibility for peptic ulcer disease and psychiatric disorders such as major depression.

Inflammatory bowel diseases, including ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, are unpleasant, chronic conditions with few treatment options. Now, researchers may have found a way to potentially “switch on” the body’s natural tissue repair system.

Understanding what causes Crohn's disease could lead to new treatment targets, and scientists have just placed the crosshairs over a key enzyme they say acts as an "Achilles heel" for inflammation linked to the condition.

Scientists have studied 50,000-year-old Neanderthal poop, and analyzed the DNA of microbes to determine their gut microbiome. Many species are still present in modern humans, revealing the "old friend" bacteria that may be most crucial to our health.

A team of scientists has explored the lingering effects of diet during childhood on the gut microbiome, demonstrating how unhealthy eating while young decreases the diversity of bacteria in the guts of mice over the longer term.

New research is describing the discovery of a novel subset of brain cell with the capacity to prevent neuroinflammation. This anti-inflammatory activity is modulated by molecules induced by gut bacteria revealing an exciting new gut-brain pathway.

A first-of-its-kind study has found a link between COVID-19 severity and the gut microbiome. The research suggests specific microbial patterns correlate with disease severity and those bacterial imbalances may account for some cases of “long COVID”.

New research suggests e-cigarette vapor alone, free of nicotine or flavoring, can trigger gut inflammation. Across a series of experiments the study demonstrated how e-cigarette vapor can weaken the gut’s lining and lead to chronic inflammation.

Crohn’s disease is an inflammatory bowel condition triggered by an overactive immune system. Now researchers have developed a new kind of immunotherapy for Crohn’s that delivers a “triple punch” by tweaking the responses of different immune cells.