Microbiome

Researchers have uncovered a gut-diet link to postpartum depression, finding that eating a diet of soy, fermented foods, and seaweed may nurture beneficial gut bacteria and protect mothers’ mental health.

While scientists are amassing a fair amount of data regarding our gut microbiomes, the oral microbiome is a bit of a new frontier. Case in point: researchers have just discovered huge pieces of DNA there that they never knew existed.

A single fecal microbiota transplant in obese teens was linked to long-lasting metabolic improvements, including smaller waistlines, reduced body fat, lower inflammation, and better cholesterol levels, with some benefits still evident four years later.

Smoking's not often touted for its health benefits. But it's been known to help those suffering from colitis even though it exacerbates Crohn's disease. New research that could help treat the conditions says it all has to do with bacteria migration.

We know by now that exercise is good for the body and mind at any age, but new research has found that your workouts may be benefiting a less obvious area: Inside your gut. It's yet another sign that the gut microbiome is central to overall health.

Researchers have successfully tweaked a specialized compound from brown seaweed to unlock its powerful anti-obesity potential. Instead of appetite suppression and fat burning, this molecule reshapes the gut microbiome to fight weight gain naturally.

A new study has added strong evidence that red meat consumption is a trigger for inflammatory bowel disease, and inflammation, demonstrating just how it alters gut bacteria and immune activity, resulting in widespread tissue damage in the colon.

A study of nearly 400,000 people has for the first time found a causal link between gut bacteria and insomnia, confirming that some microbes aid sleep while others disrupt it. Fourteen bacterial taxa were found to contribute to the risk of insomnia.

Scientists have found that bacteria on your tongue play a critical role in how nitrate-rich beets impact vascular health. However, that impact is not across the board, revealing a previously unknown link between aging, the oral microbiome and health.

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.

While it's estimated that millions worldwide suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome, a test for the condition still doesn't exist. That could be set to change with the release of a new study that finds the condition's fingerprint in the gut microbiome.

Your gut bacteria might give away more about you than your accent does. In a new study, scientists used people’s microbiome to predict where they lived, down to the city, with 94% accuracy. It gives new meaning to the phrase "you are what you eat."