Microbiome

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.

A trial testing fecal transplants in obese subjects with metabolic syndrome found the treatment was only beneficial when accompanied by non-fermentable fiber supplements. The trial saw improvements in insulin sensitivity 6 weeks after a fecal transplant.

A new study has highlighted the gut-brain link between social behavior and gut microbes in mice, showing how a lack of certain gut bacteria can increase levels of a hormone that activates a part of the brain that contributes to antisocial activities.

Researchers have engineered standard baking yeast to treat inflammatory bowel disease. The microbe has been modified to secrete an anti-inflammatory molecule in response to signs of gut inflammation and has proven effective in mouse tests.

A study has cataloged thousands of distinct viral species living in the human gut. The majority are unknown to science and researchers suggest the novel interactions between bacteria and viruses in our microbiome could inform future disease treatments.