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Incorporating navy beans into the diet of colorectal cancer (CRC) survivors has the potential to positively impact both gut and host health by modulating markers linked to obesity and disease, according to research. The findings revealed BE GONE trial participants who added a cup of navy beans daily to their regular meals saw positive changes in their gut microbiome, which is associated with cancer prevention and improved treatment outcomes. Changes included an increase of alpha diversity, or beneficial bacteria (Faecalibacterium, Eubacterium, and Bifidobacterium) and decreased pathogenic, or opportunistic, bacteria. "Observing a shift in microbiome diversity with diet intervention alone is...

Dendritic cells play a key role in the mammalian immune system. These cells are present throughout the human body and are known to capture foreign bodies, or antigens, using extendable "arms" called dendrites. Once captured, dendritic cells present these substances to immune T cells, thereby initiating an immune response. Dendritic cells are responsive to their environment. For instance, dendritic cells in the intestine's mucosa (inner layer) capture harmful bacteria by extending their dendrites through the epithelium (outermost layer) and into the intestinal lumen (inner space). Researchers found short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) produced by intestinal bacteria are responsible for initiating the...

A team of infectious disease researchers has found via clinical trial that fecal transplants after kidney transplantation reduce the susceptibility of patients to infections by multi-drug-resistant organisms (MDROs). In their study, the group tested the impact of fecal microbiota transfer (FMT) on kidney transplant patients receiving care at Emory Transplant Center, in Atlanta. Prior research has shown that people who receive kidney transplantation are at risk of developing an infection from MDROs. This is because patients are given antibiotics to prevent general infections, killing all non-drug-resistant organisms. The absence of competing organisms allows MDROs to flourish, putting these patients at...

The researchers discovered that young pigs that ate a diet high in tomatoes for two weeks had an increase in the diversity of their gut microbes and a shift in their gut bacteria towards a more favorable profile. According to researchers, the favorable results obtained from studies on pigs warrant further investigation in human subjects. According to researchers, a diet heavy in tomatoes for two weeks led to an increase in the diversity of gut microbes and a change in gut bacteria towards a more favorable profile in young pigs. Based on these findings from a short-term intervention, the research...

Studies interlinking the microbiome of the gut and the brain show evidence of changes in emotional health. Recent research in the UK is exploring how the gut-brain axis affects anxiety. The findings indicate that introducing a prebiotic called galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) into the gut microbiome has a positive effect on gut health and greater emotional wellbeing. The Study Aspects Researchers from the University of Surrey examined the food diaries and stool samples of 64 female volunteers between the ages of 18 and 25 over 28 days. The volunteers were given either 7.5g of the GOS Biotis prebiotic or a placebo made...

Our guts are awash in bacteria, and now a new study fingers them as culprits in heart disease. A complicated dance between the microbes and a component of red meat could help explain how the food might cause atherosclerosis. The work also has implications for certain energy drinks and energy supplements, which contain the same nutrient that these bacteria like chasing after. Red meat is considered bad news when it comes to heart health, although studies aren't consistent about how much can hurt and whether it always does. Furthermore, it's not clear which components of meat are doing harm. Various...

Key to living past 100 may hinge on your gut health, study of centenarians shows TOKYO — Centenarians have unique gut bacteria that enables them to live to a ripe old age, according to new research. Scientists in Japan say this unique gut makeup fuels bile acids that protect against disease. The discovery could lead to yogurts and other probiotic foods that increase longevity. “In people over the age of 100, an enrichment in a distinct set of gut microbes generate unique bile acids,” says lead author Professor Kenya Honda of Keio University in a statement per South West News...

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the White House's top COVID-19 adviser, seemed to admit Wednesday that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention coronavirus guidelines are not entirely based on science.