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A research team led by Dr. Bin Li has highlighted the potential of malvidin-3-O-galactoside (M3G), a blueberry-derived anthocyanin, to improve colonic mucosal barrier function and alleviate colitis symptoms. They demonstrated that M3G enhances the integrity of the colonic barrier by regulating key proteins and Notch signaling pathways, suggesting its potential as a natural therapeutic agent for intestinal diseases. The colonic mucosal barrier is essential for maintaining digestive health, protecting against pathogens, and preventing inflammation. M3G, a common anthocyanin in blueberries, has been studied for its health benefits, including its potential to regulate gut microbiota and protect against inflammation. The study...

The smartest people I know are Freepers. Hopefully, y’all can give me some advice My 72yo wife has ulcerative colitis (UC), she’s in her 6th month of trying to get it into remission. UC is bleeding ulcers in your colon – therefore rectal bleeding and diarrhea, poor girl has it hugely. Her last UC episode, which went into remission within a couple months, was 17 year ago when she was 55yo. She’s taken all her biologic initial dosages of Remicade. We have Medicare and Medigap insurance, we live in KY in a major metro area. Her blood test results are...

A medication used for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis is proving to be an effective treatment for moderate to severe ulcerative colitis in the findings of a global study led by David T. Rubin, MD. The medication, guselkumab (Tremfya), is an antibody that blocks IL-23, the cytokine that drives many immune diseases, including ulcerative colitis. It can be administered as an injection or through an infusion. The Phase III QUASAR maintenance study showed that Tremfya can achieve symptomatic remission and also bowel healing, with a notably high rate of this important endpoint, Rubin said. The unique bowel healing capabilities help keep...

A team of researchers is uncovering how the juice from red cabbage, long used in traditional medicine, can alleviate inflammation-associated digestive health conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in mice, offering hope to Americans who suffer from IBD, including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Santayana Rachagani's team found red cabbage juice boasts a diverse array of bioactive compounds that improved gut health and alleviated the symptoms of IBD in mice. "Red cabbage juice alters the composition of gut microbiota by increasing the abundance of good bacteria, resulting in increased production of short chain fatty acids and other bacteria derived...

A medication for high cholesterol can drastically cut "forever chemicals" (PFAS)—associated with an increased risk of cancer and banned in Europe—in the blood, researchers said. But the drug was not suitable for widespread and prolonged use because of its side effects. A clinical trial with cholestyramine led to a reduction 20 times greater than the normal result without intervention. "The effect of treatment was actually a decrease in the plasma of 63 percent," said Lindhardt. Researchers say the results are promising for treating people who have been exposed to high doses of the "forever chemicals", so called because they tend...

An overly robust immune response to usually harmless germs has been linked to colitis, a potentially severe inflammation of the colon. A study not only reveals that the presence of one class of fatty acids is the hidden villain that quietly triggers this inflammation, but also found that another group of fats—unsaturated fats such as those found in olive oil—can alleviate symptoms of colitis in mice. The cytokine interleukin-10 (IL-10), part of the innate immune system, is essential for suppressing inflammatory responses in the gut. In fact, children born without IL-10 need bone marrow transplants which can produce the cytokine...

Researchers have shown that changes can be detected in blood tests up to eight years before a diagnosis of Crohn's disease and up to three years before a diagnosis of ulcerative colitis. This means the beginnings of inflammatory bowel diseases start a long time before symptoms occur, and in the future may provide an opportunity for doctors to take preventative action before symptoms begin, or prescribe medication when it will be most effective. Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are collectively known as inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). They are incurable conditions which involve excessive inflammation in the gut, leading to symptoms...

I would appreciate any advise or any ideas to help a young loved one who is suffering terribly with ulcerative colitis. The only relief thus far is from prednisone, which comes with other problems. Prayers please! Thank you in advance.

Cholesterol-lowering statins might protect patients with ulcerative colitis from developing and dying from colorectal cancer. Statin treatment was also associated with a lower risk of death regardless of cause in patients with ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease. This is according to a study. "Our study suggests that statins can prevent colorectal cancer in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which is a high-risk group for this kind of cancer," says Jiangwei Sun. The observational study compared more than 10,500 IBD patients from around the country, of whom half were statin users; the other half of the group, who were matched...

For patients with refractory immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)-induced colitis, fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is an effective treatment, according to a study. Taylor M. Halsey and colleagues, reported a case series of 12 patients with refractory immune-mediated colitis (IMC) who underwent FMT from healthy donors as salvage therapy. All patients had grade 3 or 4 ICI-related diarrhea or colitis that did not respond to standard first- and second-line immunosuppression (corticosteroids and infliximab or vedolizumab). The researchers found that 10 of the 12 patients achieved symptom improvement and three patients required repeat FMT; two of these had no subsequent response. Ninety-two percent...

Credit: Fernandolive on Wikimedia Commons Could a dose of hookworms provide a medication-free alternative to people with inflammatory bowel disease? The Malaghan Institute's Hookworm Therapy team, who recently published the results from their year-long clinical study, think it's possible. Published in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, the feasibility study found that hookworms were a safe and long-lasting treatment for participants with ulcerative colitis—paving the way for wider clinical studies. The Malaghan Institute has been exploring the potential therapeutic benefits of human hookworms for patients suffering allergic and inflammatory disease for a number of years. This current study was the first of its...

An article shows that melatonin, despite its antioxidant effects and role in regulating sleep cycles, can worsen inflammation of the intestine and impair the action of gut microbiota. Melatonin is popularly known as the "sleep hormone" and is often taken as a so-called food supplement without a doctor's prescription by people with sleep problems. "It's generally thought to be harmless. However, our study shows that the ingestion of melatonin supplement can have adverse effects on health," said Cristina Ribeiro de Barros Cardoso. Melatonin can act as an antioxidant and improve several physiological or pathological conditions. "We started out in this...

Psyllium fiber protects against ulcerative colitis and suppresses inflammation by activating the bile acid nuclear receptor, a mechanism that was previously unrecognized, according to a study. The findings reveal that psyllium inhibits inflammation that can lead to colitis in mice by increasing serum bile acids, resulting in the activation of the farnesoid X receptor (FXR), a bile acid nuclear receptor. Fiber-rich foods promote intestinal and metabolic health, but the extent of protection varies for each fiber type. It has been unclear whether dietary fiber can benefit severe forms of intestinal inflammation, such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, which are...

Salk Institute researchers have developed a new compound that acts like a master reset switch in the intestines. In a new study, the compound, called FexD, is found to prevent and reverse intestinal inflammation in mouse models of inflammatory bowel disease. New therapeutic has the potential to treat inflammatory bowel disease by targeting a molecule that keeps order in the intestines. Salk Institute scientists have developed a new drug that acts like a master reset switch in the gut. Called FexD, the compound has previously been found to burn fat, lower cholesterol, and ward off colorectal cancer in mice. Now,...

Story at-a-glance: * A carnivore or meat-only diet can be uniquely beneficial for some people, especially those struggling with autoimmune diseases, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, chronic pain and mental health disorders * It can also be used as a detox strategy for three to 12 months * One of the primary benefits of a carnivore diet — as long as you focus on red meat and limit chicken and pork — is that it’s a really low in omega-6 fat, which is the most harmful type of fat and a primary driver of chronic disease * You’re also removing most...

Research by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and an international team traces the toxic impact of a common consumer product on the gut microbiome and induces colitis. A new study conducted in mice demonstrates precisely how triclosan, an antimicrobial found in toothpaste, toys, and thousands of other products, can trigger gut inflammation. An international team of researchers led by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Hong Kong Baptist University identified the bacteria, and even specific enzymes, that trigger triclosan’s harmful effects. Moreover, studies in mice suggest these bacterial enzymes...

Hold your nose and don't spit out your coffee: Doctors have found a way to put healthy people's poop into pills that can cure serious gut infections — a less yucky way to do "fecal transplants." Canadian researchers tried this on 27 patients and cured them all after strong antibiotics failed to help. It's a gross topic but a serious problem. Half a million Americans get Clostridium difficile, or C-diff, infections each year, and about 14,000 die. The germ causes nausea, cramping and diarrhea so bad it is often disabling. A very potent and pricey antibiotic can kill C-diff but...

Imagine a low-cost treatment for a life-threatening infection that could cure up to 90 percent of patients with minimal side effects, often in a few days. It may sound like a miracle drug, but this cutting-edge treatment is profoundly simple—though somewhat icky: take the stool of healthy patients to cure those with hard-to-treat intestinal infections. A small but growing number of physicians have begun using these so-called fecal transplants to treat Clostridium difficile, commonly referred to as C-diff, a bacterial infection that causes nausea, cramping and diarrhea. The germ afflicts a half-million Americans annually and kills about 15,000 of them....

Vogel's fiance, John Michael Keyser, told NorthJersey.com that the chef's "heart gave out" while receiving treatment for colitis at a local hospital. Colitis is a disease which causes inflammation in the digestive tract. Vogel studied culinary arts at Johnson & Wales. She auditioned for the Gordon Ramsay-hosted show while working at a creperie and bakery in California, NorthJersey.com reported. She also worked as a pastry chef for chef Christine Nunn at Grange in Westwood. She recently worked as the executive chef of Black Rebel Burger in Hackensack, N.J. before it shut down last year. "When she set her mind on...

George Noory made a brief mention that Art Bell has been in and out of the hospital here lately. He is back in now for problems with COPD (shortness of breath) Colitis and possible pneumonia. I can't get Art on my terrestrial radio, and am not yet in the habit of using my computer to get radio. So, I hadn't given Art any thought in quite a few months. I was saddened to hear that he's been feeling poorly for the last few months. Art is not quite sure when he'll be back on the air. He does have a...