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The prevalence of zinc deficiency is about 50 percent in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and is higher in patients with Crohn disease (CD) than those with ulcerative colitis (UC), according to a study. Roberta Zupo and colleagues conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine the prevalence of zinc deficiency in IBD. Nine articles met the inclusion criteria, which included 17 prevalence entries for CD and UC (nine and eight, respectively). The researchers found that across selected studies, the prevalence of zinc deficiency showed higher values in CD than in UC. In pooled analyses, the overall mean zinc deficiency prevalence...

Adopting and maintaining a healthy lifestyle might prevent up to 60% of inflammatory bowel disease cases—Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Researchers drew on participant data from the Nurses' Health Study (NHS). The researchers created modifiable risk scores (MRS) based on established modifiable risk factors for IBD to estimate the proportion of IBD cases that could have been avoided. The MRS ranged from 0-6. These risk factors included weight (BMI); smoking; use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs; physical activity; and daily intake of fruit, fiber, vegetables, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and red meat. The researchers then estimated the proportion of avoidable cases...

Researchers have delved deeper into the relationship between manganese deficiency and inflammatory bowel disease and found that low levels of the micronutrient can exacerbate intestinal injury and inflammation. Their study centers around the genetic variant of the manganese transporter SLC39A8, which affects manganese levels in the body. People with a genetic variant in SLC39A8, or ZIP8, can have manganese deficiency, which this and prior studies have linked to inflammatory diseases of the intestines such as Crohn's and colitis. "Our research reveals the crucial role of the manganese transporter SLC39A8 in maintaining healthy manganese levels and intestinal health. Our work also...

Turmeric has been a healing remedy in traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine for centuries. It comes from the rhizome (root) of the Curcuma longa plant and has a warm, earthy flavor. Turmeric's active compound, curcumin, is a potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant with many health benefits, from soothing joint pain to enhancing digestion and immunity. 1. Arthritis (Joint Pain) Arthritis is a broad term that describes over 100 conditions that cause joint inflammation, pain, stiffness, and reduced mobility. Osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis, typically develops due to age-related "wear and tear." Other types, like rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and psoriatic...

Early treatment of pediatric Crohn's disease with anti-tumor necrosis factor medications can substantially reduce the risk of perianal fistulas, a particularly debilitating complication of Crohn's disease. Researchers confirmed this using prospective data. Around 40,000 children in the United States suffer from Crohn's disease. Around 1 in 3 will develop perianal fistulas. Perianal fistulas are tunnels that develop near the anus. Standard treatment for perianal fistulas involves anti-TNF drugs at higher doses than would be prescribed before complications begin. There's also no guarantee that treatment can completely solve the problem. Around 70% of such patients require at least one surgical procedure....

New research may help explain recurrent Crohn's disease in children and open the door to new ways to treat or even cure the devastating condition. Crohn's is a debilitating—and possibly life-threatening—inflammation of the digestive tract. It's most common in adults but afflicts children. New research suggests answers to why children with relapsing Crohn's endure repeated bouts even after appearing to recover. Rebecca Pierce found that children with relapsing Crohn's had a persistent disruption of their microbiomes—the collection of microorganisms that lives in our guts—even after inflammation was successfully controlled by treatment. "Currently, the main goal of most Crohn's disease treatments...

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...

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...

The bubonic plague killed so many people in Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa that that natural selection event is still rippling through our genomes today. But the same genes that helped your ancestors survive the Black Death may be contributing to autoimmune disease today.Have an Autoimmune Disease? Blame the Black Death | 7:16SciShow | 7.77M subscribers | 572,860 views | November 7, 2023

Chronic bowel inflammation is based on an excessive or misdirected inflammatory reaction. Experts assume that the immune system also reacts incorrectly to microorganisms in the intestine that do not cause an inflammatory immune reaction in a healthy state. Now, researchers have discovered that yeast fungi could play an important role in this. Trillions of microorganisms colonize the human body, especially the intestine. This microbiome consists mainly of viruses and bacteria, but to a lesser extent also of fungi. However, according to current research, this interaction is disturbed in Crohn's disease, a chronic inflammatory bowel disease where the immune cells react...

The study found that 0.8% of same-sex patients with high-risk sexual activity were diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, while only 0.49 heterosexual men who engaged in high-risk sexual activity had Crohn’s disease. The research will enable the development of individualized, precision medicine for the management of inflammatory bowel disease in this underrepresented minority patient group. According to a recent study from Case Western Reserve University and University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center (UH), gay men are more than twice as likely as heterosexual males to develop inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) when both groups participate in high-risk sexual activity. The study was recently...

Two new treatments for Crohn's disease showed roughly equal performance in a clinical trial. This allows clinicians and patients to make treatment choices based on tolerance, according to Stephen Hanauer, MD. Crohn's disease (CD) is a chronic, progressive inflammatory bowel disease, causing abdominal pain, weight loss and fatigue. Treatment for CD has typically focused on alleviating symptoms to achieve clinical remission using corticosteroids or immunomodulators, but a need for more effective treatment remains. "While there are numerous therapies and mechanisms of action for drugs approved for moderate-severe Crohn's disease there has been a therapeutic ceiling as far as outcomes are...

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...

An international study of more than 50,000 people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) has revealed that IBS symptoms may be caused by the same biological processes as conditions such as anxiety. The research highlights the close relationship between brain and gut health and paves the way for development of new treatments. IBS is a common condition world-wide, affecting around 1 in 10 people and causing a wide range of symptoms including abdominal pain, bloating, and bowel dysfunction that can significantly affect people’s lives. Diagnosis is usually made after considering other possible conditions (such as Crohn’s disease or bowel cancer), with...

Greetings! I know there are freepers who have knowledge and experience in just about any area of interest, so I figured we could gather some info/input from you on various treatments/ success stories for Crohn's. I did a search and various interesting articles have been posted, perhaps some of you have other useful links you could share. Over a year ago our youngest was diagnosed with Crohn's disease. Not that there is ever a good time to become ill, but this has impacted her studies and immediate University plans. She has been under the care of a physician who has...

Abstract Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a classic pro-inflammatory cytokine critical in mounting an effective immune response. It is secreted by a wide array of cell types; however, its effector cells are more restricted, owing to the fact that very few cells, except lymphocytes and hepatocytes, express the functional membrane IL-6 receptor thus reducing the number of IL-6-responsive cells. Trans-signalling, the shedding of the membrane-bound form of the IL-6 receptor into the local microenvironment, greatly increases the range of cells that can respond. IL-6 has been demonstrated to have a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis, Castleman’s disease and Crohn’s...

Stem cells may force Crohn's disease into retreat, say Long Island medical investigators who are embarking on a pioneering analysis that targets patients who've failed other therapies. Cases of Crohn's disease have skyrocketed since World War II, jumping tenfold in the United States and raising questions about the disease's genetics and demography. It is one of two disorders -- the other is ulcerative colitis -- that are known as inflammatory bowel diseases. Before the 20th century there was no recorded evidence of either. Dr. Robert Richards, director of clinical research in the gastroenterology division at Stony Brook University Medical Center,...

Tysabri was pulled from the market in 2005 after three patients in clinical trials contracted a brain infection known as progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, and two patients died. Two patients were also taking Avonex. However, the FDA allowed the drug to return to the market in 2006 with a risk-management program. Crohn's disease is a chronic, progressive disease marked by inflammation of the bowel. The condition often causes abdominal pain and bleeding and can require surgery to remove diseased portions of the intestine. About 600,000 Americans have the disease. It wasn't immediately clear if there are any conditions attached to Tysabri's...

Prayers needed!!M1-A2 in hospital with Crohn's. Went down(fainted dehydrated) 08/29/07. Doing better today but will be in hospital for 3-4 more days. He(age 17)was just diagnosed in July. We are just now leaning about this malady. Thanks!! Mom and Dad

With increasing frequency, American citizens and others from around the globe are experiencing newfound freedom from disease, affliction, and infirmity. Individuals' lives are forever changed with the strengthened faith and renewed hope that arise from healed bodies and physical restoration. These seemingly miraculous cures are the result of adult stem cell treatments. Yet the debates in the popular media tend to ignore and obscure the medical breakthroughs made by adult stem cell research--success that has conspicuously eluded embryonic stem cell treatments.[1]  Adult stem cells (or, more accurately, tissue stem cells) are regenerative cells of the human body that possess the...