Microbiome

Researchers studying exceptionally well-preserved feces found in Iron Age salt mines have discovered the presence of fungi used in food fermentation. The findings indicate the miners were feasting on blue cheese and beer around 2,700 years ago.

The role of gut bacteria in the progression of prostate cancer has been highlighted in a new study showing how the microbiome can influence hormone metabolism, which subsequently amplifies tumor growth and disrupts certain hormone treatments.

Australian researchers have found the bacteria in your mouth can react with certain compounds in Brassica vegetables to generate a sulfurous odor that may explain some people’s strong dislike of foods such as brussels sprouts, broccoli, and cauliflower.

A new review article is suggesting a number of psychiatric disorders share common gut microbiome perturbations. The meta-analysis found depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and anxiety all present with similar gut microbial abnormalities.

Can the make-up of your gut microbiome affect the success of a weight loss intervention? A unique new study is indicating this is certainly possible, identifying several mechanisms by which gut bacteria can either help or hinder weight loss.

A milestone study is reporting how gut bacteria can store quantities of therapeutic drugs and potentially reduce their effectiveness. The research builds on insights into the ways our microbiome can either reduce or enhance the activity of medicines.

Impressive research is suggesting bacterial imbalances in the gut microbiome may play a major role in the development of rheumatoid arthritis. The preclinical study found damage to the gut lining directly correlates with joint inflammation and severity.

New research has revealed a microbial mechanism connecting obesity with heart disease. The study describes how a high-fat diet damages intestinal cells, leading to more bad bacteria that produce metabolites known to contribute to cardiovascular disease.

New research is offering some of the first insights into how gut bacteria can potentially influence brain aging in mammals. The study found fecal transplants from young to old mice reversed some aspects of age-related brain deterioration.

New research has found a maternal fecal transplant may mitigate the damage antibiotics cause to the development of a newborn baby’s microbiome. The animal study found a fecal transplant greatly reduced future risk of developing the disease.

Investigating the relationship between diet, gut bacteria and systemic inflammation, Stanford University researchers found just a few weeks of following a diet rich in fermented foods can improve microbiome diversity and reduce inflammatory biomarkers.

It’s hard to overstate the incredible influence our gut microbiome has on our health. Now, researchers have found that certain metabolites from intestinal bacteria could boost the cancer-killing effect of immunotherapy.