Gut health

The human body is teeming with microbes, especially in the gut. To coexist smoothly, our bodies need to know what these tiny residents are up to. But can our bodies sense gut microbe activity in real-time and shift behavior accordingly?

Not all probiotics are created equal. A new study found that one commonly available strain made a gut infection worse, while another helped stop it in its tracks, thanks to a powerful natural antibiotic and an unexpected ally from the gut’s own ranks.

Gut support cells communicate with surprising precision – like brain neurons – to send instructions to the stem cells responsible for maintaining and healing the intestine. The discovery may change our understanding of tissue repair and gut diseases.

Thousands of people who suffer from irritable bowel syndrome swear off a range of food categories to improve their symptoms. One of these categories is gluten, although a new small study shows it might not be the villain many think it is.

A groundbreaking study has revealed that white sugar doesn’t just feed bacteria in the gut – it rewires them. Consuming sugar can trigger physical flips in bacterial DNA, setting off a chain reaction that alters immune responses and gut health.

Think of your gut like that one nosy neighbor; it’s always collecting data, and it knows things. While everyone poops, not everyone follows a regular schedule. And apparently, your gut is keeping score.

Researchers from Caltech have developed a wireless smart capsule packed with tiny sensors to monitor the workings of your GI tract. This could help us get a better sense of our gut health, with the convenience of a pill you can swallow.

A small daily dose of kombucha made from black tea has been shown to meaningfully reshape the gut microbiome in adults – particularly those with obesity – without any dietary changes. It also reveals a lot about the importance of micro-biodiversity.

A new study has found that diet-driven weight gain triggers impaired cognitive functioning an symptoms of anxiety, adding to the growing body of evidence that there's an intrinsic biological link between our gut health and our mental health.

The bitter taste receptors on our tongues are also found in the gut. A new study has identified two specific receptors in the large intestine that are associated with the aging process, which may help inform diet-based strategies for healthier aging.

A new study has found that after just a few days of eating a high-fat diet, the gut’s defenses are broken down, and an asymptomatic inflammation is triggered that can develop into a long-term problem. Importantly, the effects were reversible.

A new AI model can predict the likelihood of premature death from inflammatory bowel disease, with 95% accuracy. This is good news – by looking beyond the gut for early treatment of other chronic illnesses can greatly reduce the early mortality rate.