http://www.scientificwellness.com/blog.atom.xmlScientific Wellness Blog2024-03-19T07:34:12+00:00Scientific Wellnesshttp://www.scientificwellness.com/info@scientificwellness.comWhole oats better than isolated components for gut health http://www.scientificwellness.com/blog-view/whole-oats-better-than-isolated-components-for-6902019-04-10T17:45:07+00:002019-04-10T17:45:07+00:00Isolated prebiotics and polyphenols are sold as gut health supplements, but an intriguing study suggests that whole, unrefined food sources may sometimes be better. <!-- p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Helvetica; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Helvetica; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000; min-height: 13.0px} p.p3 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 10.0px Arial; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} p.p4 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 9.0px 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000; min-height: 10.0px} p.p5 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 9.0px 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} p.p6 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 10.0px Arial; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000; min-height: 11.0px} p.p7 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 10.0px 'Courier New'; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} span.s1 {font-kerning: none} span.s2 {font: 11.0px Helvetica; font-kerning: none} span.s3 {font: 10.0px Helvetica; font-kerning: none} span.s4 {font: 9.0px Times; font-kerning: none} span.s5 {font: 10.0px Courier; font-kerning: none} span.s6 {font: 10.0px 'Lucida Grande'; font-kerning: none} -->
<p>Isolated prebiotics and polyphenols are sold as gut health supplements, but an intriguing study suggests that whole, unrefined food sources may sometimes be better. </p>
<p>Whole grain oats consumed as <a href="/blog-view/oatmeal-porridge-improves-gut-health-in-7-days-558" target="_blank">porridge or oatmeal has been shown to have a prebiotic effect</a>, quickly boosting the metabolic activity of healthy gut bacteria.<span> </span></p>
<p><span>The prebiotic effect of oats could be due to key components, in particular unique types of fibres such as β-glucans or polyphenols. But an experimental study aiming to find the prebiotic factor in oats discovered that the sum is greater than its parts.<span> </span></span></p>
<p><span>After separating </span><span>β-glucan</span><span> and polyphenols from oats a research team compared their weight matched prebiotic effects to whole oats on human faecal bacteria composition and metabolism.<span> </span></span> </p>
<p>Interestingly, it was the whole oats that had changed gut microbial composition and increased <em>bifidobacteria</em>, whereas isolated β-glucan or polyphenols given at a matched dose did not have the same effect. </p>
<p>Furthermore, the whole oats increased proliferation of a specific bacteria called<em> Bifidobacterium adolescentis</em> which has the ability to synthesize and secrete the neuroactive substance γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and has been associated with disease prevention.<span> </span></p>
<p>Although β-glucans and polyphenols did have some unique effects, increasing the phylum <em>Bacteroidetes</em> and <em>Enterobacteriaceae</em> respectively.<span> </span></p>
<p>“In conclusion, our study has shown that oat bran as a complex food matrix beneficially increases the number of <em>B. adolescentis</em> and the amount of short chain fatty acid production,” commented the study investigators. “In contrast, a matched dose of the isolated bioactive compounds, β-glucan and other polyphenols did not show any effect on the abundance of <em>Actinobacteria</em>.”</p>
<h2><span>References:<span> </span></span></h2>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">Kristek A, Wiese M, Heuer P, et al. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30688188" target="_blank">Oat bran, but not its isolated bioactive β-glucans or polyphenols, have a bifidogenic effect in an in vitro fermentation model of the gut microbiota</a>. Br J Nutr. 2019 Mar;121(5):549-559.<span> </span></p>Probiotics help people with celiac disease recover http://www.scientificwellness.com/blog-view/probiotics-help-people-with-celiac-disease-recover-6892019-04-10T17:36:30+00:002019-04-10T17:36:30+00:00Even after a strict gluten-free diet digestive symptoms can continue to be an important problem for people with celiac disease. A promising new study suggests probiotics might help. <!-- p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Helvetica; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Helvetica; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000; min-height: 13.0px} p.p3 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} p.p4 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000; min-height: 15.0px} p.p5 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.5px Arial; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} p.p6 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 10.0px 'Courier New'; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} span.s1 {font-kerning: none} span.s2 {font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; font-kerning: none} -->
<p><span>Even after a strict gluten-free diet digestive symptoms can continue to be an important problem for people with celiac disease. A promising new study suggests probiotics might help.<span> </span></span></p>
<p><span>Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)-symptoms affect about 38% of people with celiac disease despite a strictly following a gluten-free diet with no well established treatments options to help resolve symptoms.<span> </span></span></p>
<p><span>One possibility is that an imbalance in gut bacteria, or dysbiosis, could be responsible, so based on this observation a research group decided to test a probiotic in celiac disease patients who had IBS-symptoms despite a strict gluten-free diet.</span></p>
<p>Over a 6-week treatment period the study participants took either a placebo or the probiotic mixture (5 strains of <em>Lactobacillus</em> and <em>Bifidobacteria</em>) at a dose of 40 billion CFU once daily.<span> </span></p>
<p><span>Clinical assessments revealed that the probiotic significantly reduced digestive symptoms, including pain, compared to placebo. In addition, those taking probiotics had changes in their gut bacteria, including an increase in <em>Bifidobacterium</em> and lactic acid bacteria such as <em>Lactobacillus</em>.</span></p>
<p><span>A small number of previous studies have assessed probiotics in people with celiac disease but with inconsistent evidence of benefit. The authors of the current study suggest that one reason for their good results may be that they found a positive modification of gut bacteria, which has not been demonstrated in previous studies.<span> </span></span></p>
<p><span>“In recent years, an increasing amount of data have appeared with regard to the role of gut microbiota in celiac disease patients, suggesting that dysbiosis could result in a modification of the mucosal homeostasis, causing persistent immune activation and clinical symptoms,” commented the authors. “If we consider the alterations of gut microbiota as an environmental factor involved in celiac disease expression, probiotic administration may have a primary role in the overall manifestation of the disease.”</span></p>
<h2><span><strong>Reference:<span> </span></strong></span></h2>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">Francavilla R, Piccolo M, Francavilla A, et al. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29688915" target="_blank">Clinical and Microbiological Effect of a Multispecies Probiotic Supplementation in Celiac Patients With Persistent IBS-type Symptoms: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-controlled, Multicenter Trial</a>. J Clin Gastroenterol. 2019 Mar;53(3):e117-e125.</p>Potatoes may increase risk for birth defects http://www.scientificwellness.com/blog-view/potatoes-may-increase-risk-for-birth-defects-6882019-04-10T17:27:54+00:002019-04-10T17:27:54+00:00Maternal consumption of sprouted or green potatoes may increase the risk of birth defects, according to a novel observational study. Safe potato consumption may be an important preconception nutritional consideration. <!-- p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 10.0px 'Times New Roman'; color: #131413; -webkit-text-stroke: #131413} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 10.0px 'Times New Roman'; color: #131413; -webkit-text-stroke: #131413; min-height: 11.0px} p.p3 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Helvetica; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000; min-height: 13.0px} p.p4 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Helvetica; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} p.p5 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 13.0px Palatino; color: #333333; -webkit-text-stroke: #333333} p.p6 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 13.5px Palatino; color: #1b3051; -webkit-text-stroke: #1b3051; min-height: 18.0px} p.p7 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 13.0px Palatino; color: #333333; -webkit-text-stroke: #333333; min-height: 18.0px} p.p8 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 10.0px 'Courier New'; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} span.s1 {font-kerning: none} span.s2 {font: 10.0px 'Times New Roman'; font-kerning: none; color: #131413; -webkit-text-stroke: 0px #131413} span.s3 {font: 13.0px Palatino; font-kerning: none; color: #333333; -webkit-text-stroke: 0px #333333} span.s4 {font: 13.5px Palatino; font-kerning: none; color: #1b3051; -webkit-text-stroke: 0px #1b3051} -->
<p><span>Maternal consumption of sprouted or green potatoes may increase the risk of birth defects, according to a novel observational study. Safe potato consumption may be an important preconception nutritional consideration.<span> </span></span></p>
<p><span>Neural tube defects and orofacial clefts are relatively common birth defects and thought to be multifactorial in origin with unhealthy diet, smoking and alcohol consumption some of the known contributors to increased risk. Folate deficiency is also known to be an important and common risk factor and folic acid supplementation is a well-established preventative measure.<span> </span></span></p>
<p><span>Potatoes are an important food crop, but sprouted or green potatoes contain high concentration of a glycoalkaloid called solanine with evidence of reproductive toxicity in experimental studies.<span> </span></span></p>
<p>To see if there was an association between<strong> </strong>sprouted potato consumption and birth defects data - including mother’s demographic characteristics, reproductive history, lifestyle, folic acid supplementation, smoking exposure, and consumption of sprouted potato and other foods - was collected from a large number of mothers with and without reported congenital anomalies. </p>
<p>When comparing neural tube defect cases to the control group the researchers found an approximately 2.20-fold increased risk for neural tube defects among mothers who consumed sprouted potato more than 4 times per week with the risk increasing with frequency of sprouted potato consumption.<span> </span></p>
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<p><span>The association between sprouted potatoes and risk was not found in mothers with a higher consumption of B vitamins, which fits with experimental evidence suggesting that folic acid may reduce the toxicity of solanine.</span></p>
<p><span>Very few studies have previously assessed the risk of </span><span>sprouted potato consumption making this one of the first. But despite the originality of these findings they “provide novel insight into the aetiology of </span><span>neural tube defects and orofacial clefts </span><span>and propose a new way to prevent from birth defects,” according to the study authors.<span> </span></span></p>
<p><span>“Maternal consumption of sprouted potato could be avoided through health education and pre-pregnancy care,” they note. “Further studies aiming to replicate the findings in other racial groups and to construe the fundamental mechanism underlying the association of sprouted potato consumption and birth defects are needed.”</span></p>
<h2><span><strong>Reference:<span> </span></strong></span></h2>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">Ni W, Tian T, Zhang L, Li Z, Wang L, Ren A. <a href="https://nutritionj.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12937-018-0420-4" target="_blank">Maternal periconceptional consumption of sprouted potato and risks of neural tube defects and orofacial clefts. </a>Nutr J. 2018 Nov 28;17(1):112.</p>Saffron vs. stimulant drugs for ADHD http://www.scientificwellness.com/blog-view/saffron-vs-stimulant-drugs-for-adhd-6872019-04-10T17:21:09+00:002019-04-10T17:21:09+00:00In a comparative clinical trial the herb saffron was found to be as effective as medication for children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). <!-- p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Helvetica; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 10.0px Arial; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000; min-height: 11.0px} p.p3 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 10.0px Arial; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} p.p4 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.5px Arial; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} p.p5 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 9.0px 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000; min-height: 10.0px} p.p6 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.5px Arial; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000; min-height: 14.0px} p.p7 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 9.0px 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} p.p8 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 10.0px 'Courier New'; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} p.p9 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000; min-height: 15.0px} span.s1 {font-kerning: none} span.s2 {font: 10.0px Arial; font-kerning: none} span.s3 {font: 9.0px 'Times New Roman'; font-kerning: none} -->
<p><span>In a comparative clinical trial the herb saffron was found to be as effective as medication for children with </span><span>attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).<span> </span></span></p>
<p><span>Saffron is well known for its use as a spice in cooking, but it also has a long history of use as a herbal medicine and has been studied for mood and neurological disorders. For example, several clinical studies provide evidence of an important anti-depressant effect of saffron, which notably has no more side-effects than placebo [1].</span></p>
<p><span>Because safer alternatives to stimulant and anti-depressant medications would be of benefit in the management of children with ADHD, a clinical trial of saffron was performed to explore whether or not it might be a candidate treatment option [2].<span> </span></span></p>
<p><span>Children 6-17 years old with a diagnosis of ADHD were enrolled in a 6-week randomized double-blind study to received either saffron extract at a dose of </span><span>20–30 mg per day depending on weight (20 mg for <30 kg and 30 mg for >30 kg) or methylphenidate (Ritalin).<span> </span></span></p>
<p><span>Saffron was found to be just as effective as methylphenidate for reducing symptoms according to </span><span>teacher and parent ADHD rating scale scores. Saffron was also very well tolerated with less adverse effects than methylphenidate.<span> </span></span></p>
<p><span>‘To the best of our knowledge, this randomized, double-blind study is the first to be published on the effects of saffron extract for treatment of ADHD in comparison to a stimulant,” noted the study investigators. Also commenting that “the results of this study must be considered as preliminary.”</span></p>
<p><span>“Considering the memory-enhancing and antidepressant effects of saffron, future studies on the effectiveness of saffron compared with placebo should include a broader spectrum of ADHD patients, including those with comorbid mood and anxiety disorders, sleep problems, and ADHD patients with inattentive presentation” they concluded.<span> </span></span></p>
<h2><span>References:<span> </span></span> </h2>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">1. Tóth B, Hegyi P, Lantos T, et al. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30036891" target="_blank">The Efficacy of Saffron in the Treatment of Mild to Moderate Depression: A Meta-analysis</a>. Planta<span style="color: #7a5f52; font-size: 14px;"> </span><span style="color: #7a5f52; font-size: 14px;">Med. 2019 Jan;85(1):24-31.</span></p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">2. Baziar S, Aqamolaei A, Khadem E, et al. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30741567" target="_blank">Crocus sativus L. Versus Methylphenidate in Treatment of Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Randomized, Double-Blind Pilot Study. </a>J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol. 2019 Feb 11. doi: 10.1089/cap.2018.0146. [Epub ahead of print]</p>Organic diet reduces toxic chemical exposure http://www.scientificwellness.com/blog-view/organic-diet-reduces-toxic-chemical-exposure-6862019-03-06T18:07:29+00:002019-03-06T18:07:29+00:00Further support for organic food comes from a new study showing that an organic diet quickly reduces exposure to toxic pesticides and herbicides. <!-- p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Helvetica; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Helvetica; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000; min-height: 13.0px} span.s1 {font-kerning: none} -->
<p><span>Further support for organic food comes from a new study showing that an organic diet quickly reduces exposure to toxic pesticides and herbicides.<span> </span></span></p>
<p><span>“Exposure to pesticides has been associated with various adverse health outcomes, including decreased cognitive scores, and increased behavioural and attention problems in children, asthma, cancer, and impacts on the reproductive and endocrine system,” point out the authors of a new study assessing the ability of an organic diet to reduce exposure.<span> </span></span></p>
<p><span>Previous studies have found that organic diets can reduce pesticide exposure, but these have focused on organophosphate pesticides, which are now declining in use and being replaced with other pesticides. So to see if an organic diet would influence exposure to pyrethroid and neonicotinoid pesticides, fungicides, and a herbicide, a study was conducted in a group of adults and children.</span></p>
<p><span>For the first five days of the study participants were asked to follow their normal non-organic diet, then from days six to eleven they were provided with certified organic food including all beverages other than water, oils, condiments, and spices. Urine samples were collected before and after the diet and analysed for eighteen pesticide analytes.</span></p>
<p><span>The tests detected 14 pesticides and pesticide metabolites in all of the study participants' urine representing potential exposure to over 40 different pesticides including organophosphate, neonicotinoid, and pyrethroid insecticides as well as the herbicide 2,4-D. </span>After the organic diet urinary levels of 13 exposure biomarkers decreased significantly. Only 1 organophosphate metabolite did not change. The largest reductions were observed for clothianidin and metabolites of malathion and chlorpyrifos.</p>
<p><span>Collectively, the changes in urinary biomarkers after the organic diet represent significant reductions in exposure to organophosphate, neonicotinoid, and pyrethroid insecticides and the herbicide 2,4-D.<span> </span></span></p>
<p><span>“An organic diet was associated with significant reductions in urinary excretion of several pesticide metabolites and parent compounds,” concluded the study investigators. “This study adds to a growing body of literature indicating that an organic diet may reduce exposure to a range of pesticides in children and adults. Additional research is needed to evaluate dietary exposure to neonicotinoids, which are now the most widely used class of insecticides in the world.”</span></p>
<h2><span>Reference:<span> </span></span></h2>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span>Hyland C, Bradman A, Gerona R, et al. </span><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0013935119300246" target="_blank">Organic diet intervention significantly reduces urinary pesticide levels in U.S. children and adults.</a> Environ Res. Volume 171, April 2019, Pages 568-575.</p>Food additives linked to anxiety via gut-brain axishttp://www.scientificwellness.com/blog-view/food-additives-linked-to-anxiety-via-gutbrain-axis-6852019-03-06T18:01:18+00:002019-03-06T18:01:18+00:00Artificial emulsifiers commonly used in the food industry are coming under increasing scrutiny due to potential adverse effects. An experimental study suggests they could be linked to anxiety by disrupting gut bacteria. <!-- p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Helvetica; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Helvetica; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000; min-height: 13.0px} p.p3 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Helvetica; color: #222222; -webkit-text-stroke: #222222} p.p4 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Helvetica; color: #222222; -webkit-text-stroke: #222222; min-height: 13.0px} span.s1 {font-kerning: none} span.s2 {letter-spacing: 0.1px; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: 0px #000000} span.s3 {letter-spacing: 0.1px} -->
<p><span>Artificial emulsifiers commonly used in the food industry are coming under increasing scrutiny due to potential adverse effects. An experimental study suggests they could be linked to anxiety by disrupting gut bacteria.<span> </span></span></p>
<p><span>Relatively recent experimental evidence shows that the artificial emulsifiers</span><span> carboxylmethylcellulose and polysorbate 80, which are commonly used in some foods and food supplements, can ‘sweep the gut lining’ of its protective mucus, disrupt the microbiome and result in adverse metabolic effects resembling obesity, diabetes and inflammatory disease [1].<span> </span></span></p>
<p><span>In a new study, adding </span><span>carboxylmethylcellulose and polysorbate 80 to the drinking water of mice resulted in increased abdominal fat that was associated with chronic mild intestinal inflammation [2]. The emulsifiers also changed microbiota composition, with differences between males and females<span> </span></span></p>
<p><span>Exposure to emulsifiers altered neuropeptide expression and anxiety-like and sociability behaviour differently in male and female mice. The anxiety and behaviour changes were diverse and difficult to interpret, but collectively suggest “that emulsifier treatment fundamentally impacts the organization of behavioural patterns,” note the study investigators.<span> </span></span></p>
<p><span>Although there are important limitations in translating these findings to relevance for humans, the researchers who conducted the study propose “that our data support the general notion that some cases of behavioural disorders may have been impacted by exposure to modern chemical stressors and, more specifically, that synthetic dietary emulsifiers may be one such stressor.”</span></p>
<h2><span>References:<span> </span></span></h2>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">1. Cani PD. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25869573" target="_blank">Metabolism: Dietary emulsifiers--sweepers of the gut lining?</a> Nat Rev Endocrinol. 2015 Jun;11(6):319-20.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">2. Holder MK, Peters NV, Whylings J, Fields CT, Gewirtz AT, Chassaing B, de Vries GJ.<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30655577" target="_blank"> Dietary emulsifiers consumption alters anxiety-like and social-related behaviors in mice in a sex-dependent manner. </a>Sci Rep. 2019 Jan 17;9(1):172.</p>Climate change: a call to action http://www.scientificwellness.com/blog-view/climate-change-a-call-to-action-6842019-03-06T17:55:55+00:002019-03-06T17:55:55+00:00Climate change is a tremendous threat to human health, with alarming projections for the near future. A recent review in the New England Journal of Medicine serves as a stark warning and call to action for health professionals.
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<p><span>Climate change is a tremendous threat to human health, with alarming projections for the near future. A recent review in the <em>New England Journal of Medicine</em> serves as a stark warning and call to action for health professionals.<span> </span></span></p>
<p><span>The impact of climate change on human health is already clearly evident and set to get worse warn Dr Andy Haines, from the From the Departments of Public Health, Environments, and Society and of Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, and Dr </span><span>Kristie Ebi from </span><span>the Departments of Global Health </span>and of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle.</p>
<p><span>In a review and primer for health professionals they comment that “if no additional actions are taken, then over the coming decades, substantial increases in morbidity and mortality are expected in association with a range of health outcomes, including heat-related illnesses, illnesses caused by poor air quality, undernutrition from reduced food quality and security, and selected vectorborne diseases (</span>illnesses caused by pathogens and parasites) in some locations; at the same time, worker productivity is expected to decrease, particularly at low latitudes."</p>
<p><span>Projected impacts of climate change are startling. “The World Health Organization (WHO) estimated </span>that approximately 250,000 deaths annually between 2030 and 2050 could be due to climate change–related increases in heat exposure in elderly people, as well as increases in diarrheal disease, malaria, dengue, coastal flooding, and childhood stunting.” Although these estimates are conservative as it neglects other climate-sensitive health outcomes, note Haines and Ebi. </p>
<p><span>As an example, “a climate change–associated net increase of 529,000 adult deaths worldwide was projected to result from expected reductions in food availability (particularly fruit and vegetables) by 2050, as compared with a reference scenario.”</span></p>
<p><span>Some of the health effects attributable to climate change include injuries, fatalities and mental health effects of extreme weather events, heat-related illness and death due to heat stress, exacerbations of asthma and other respiratory diseases, respiratory allergies and cardiovascular disease due to poor air quality, and infectious disease related to changes in water quality and quantity, food safety and ecology, amongst many others. <span> </span></span> </p>
<p><span>“Health professionals have leading roles to play in addressing climate change,” they state. “They can support health systems in developing effective adaptation to reduce the health risks of climate change, promote healthy behaviors and policies with low environmental impact, support intersectoral action to reduce the environmental footprint of society in general and the health care system specifically, and undertake research and education on climate change and health. The pervasive threats to health posed by climate change demand decisive actions from health professionals and governments to protect the health of current and future generations.”</span> </p>
<h2><span>References:<span> </span></span></h2>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">1. Haines A, Ebi K. <a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMra1807873" target="_blank">The Imperative for Climate Action to Protect Health. </a>N Engl J Med. 2019 Jan 17;380(3):263-273.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">2. Solomon CG, LaRocque RC. <a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp1817067" target="_blank">Climate Change - A Health Emergency. </a>N Engl J Med. 2019 Jan 17;380(3):209-211.</p>Gut bacteria-targeted diet improves mental health http://www.scientificwellness.com/blog-view/gut-bacteriatargeted-diet-improves-mental-health-6832019-03-06T17:51:27+00:002019-03-06T17:51:27+00:00A diet that is designed to improve the health of billions of bacteria living in your digestive system has been shown to reduce body weight and mitigate depression. <!-- p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Helvetica; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Helvetica; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000; min-height: 13.0px} span.s1 {font-kerning: none} -->
<p><span>A diet that is designed to improve the health of billions of bacteria living in your digestive system has been shown to reduce body weight and mitigate depression.<span> </span></span></p>
<p><span>A hot question in research right now is whether or not a gut microbiome-targeted dietary intervention could improve mental health. There have been suggestions that it could from animal studies and clinical trials of probiotics, but few, if any, dietary interventions have carefully assessed the diet-microbiome-brain connection.<span> </span></span></p>
<p><span>A fascinating new study suggests putting your gut bacteria on a diet might be good for your brain. In the study, a group of overweight women were educated on the relationship between gut bacteria, obesity and mental health and well as the influence of diet on gut bacterial composition. They were then counselled in healthy eating with specific instructions targeting the gut microbiome including increasing dietary fibre and fermented foods, especially yoghurt.<span> </span></span></p>
<p><span>At the end of the 8-week programme participants had significantly increased their intake of dietary fibre, vegetables and dairy (including yoghurt) consumption. And the diet significantly improved microbiome diversity, a barometer of gut bacterial health, as well as resulting in significant reductions in body weight (by about 1.6 kg) and depressive symptoms. Significant improvements in self-rated overall health were also observed. <span> </span></span></p>
<p><span>Commenting on their findings, the research group, from Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine and Fukushima Medical University, Japan noted that “This study primarily showed that nutritional education focusing on gut microbiota had positive effects on obesity and the depression scale. In addition, the study showed that gut microbiota diversity increased after nutritional education focusing on gut microbiota. For the first time, we examined the proposition that obesity, mental health, and gut microbiota are modulated by nutritional education focusing on gut microbiota.”</span></p>
<h2><span>Reference:<span> </span></span></h2>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">Uemura M, Hayashi F, Ishioka K, et al. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30523432" target="_blank">Obesity and mental health improvement following nutritional<span> </span>education focusing on gut microbiota composition in Japanese women: a randomised controlled trial.</a> Eur J Nutr. 2018 Dec 6. doi: 10.1007/s00394-018-1873-0.</p>Health benefits of fermented foods http://www.scientificwellness.com/blog-view/health-benefits-of-fermented-foods-6822019-01-06T17:30:05+00:002019-01-06T17:30:05+00:00Fermented foods are of increasing interest nutritionally because they are a source of bacteria which may confer health benefits. But are they healthy or is it just hype? A new review summarises the science. <!-- p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Helvetica; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Helvetica; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000; min-height: 13.0px} p.p3 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} p.p4 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 10.0px Arial; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} p.p5 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000; min-height: 15.0px} p.p6 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 10.0px 'Courier New'; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} span.s1 {font-kerning: none} span.s2 {font: 11.0px Helvetica; font-kerning: none} -->
<p><span>Fermented foods are of increasing interest nutritionally because they are a source of bacteria which may confer health benefits. But are they healthy or is it just hype? A new review summarises the science. <span> </span></span></p>
<p><span>Kefir, kimchi… fermented foods are rapidly growing in popularity as health foods. An excellent update on the state-of-the-science in the journal <em>Nutrition Reviews</em> explores the evidence for fermented food-derived bacteria [1].<span> </span></span></p>
<p><span>Most people are estimated to ingest between 1 to 10 billion bacteria daily, the majority of which come from fermented foods, point out the study authors. However, one of the controversies around fermented food-derived bacteria is whether or not they reach the gastrointestinal tract in sufficient amounts to influence the resident gastrointestinal microbiota and/ or our health.<span> </span></span></p>
<p><span>Despite anti-microbial defences in saliva, stomach acid, pancreatic enzymes, bile, and strong resistance to colonization by foreign bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract, </span><span>evidence does indeed suggest that, against all the odds, bacteria in fermented foods can not only survive transit through the gastrointestinal tract but can influence our microbiome and exert gastrointestinal and systemic health benefits.<span> </span></span></p>
<p><span>Epidemiological studies have provided some evidence that fermented foods, in particular yoghurt, may be associated with health benefits including reduced risk of metabolic syndrome, certain cancers, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes.</span> </p>
<p><span>Clinical studies have also suggested yoghurt may have some favourable effects on </span><span>metabolic risk markers [reviewed in 2], </span>but clinical trials have often found that ‘probiotic yogurts’ (those with probiotic bacteria added to the yoghurt) are generally more effective than ‘conventional yogurts’ with only the fermentation-associated microbes.</p>
<p><span>“Relatively few human clinical studies that examined the effect of fermented vegetables or other fermented foods on health outcomes have been described in the literature,” note the authors. Although there is some evidence suggesting beneficial effects of kimchi (Korean fermented vegetables) and kochujang (Korean fermented soybean-based red pepper paste).</span> </p>
<p><span>“The hypothesis that diets rich in fermented foods containing live organisms could redress a dysbiotic intestinal microbiota is an attractive proposition, but it is not new,” concluded the reviewers. “More than 100 years ago, the Nobel laureate Ilya Metchnikoff wrote the following prescient passage: “The dependence of the intestinal microbes on the food makes it possible to adopt measures to modify the flora in our bodies and to replace the harmful microbes by useful microbes.”</span></p>
<p><span>“However, as Metchnikoff also noted, the absence of suitable methods was a major challenge. “Unfortunately, our actual knowledge of the intestinal flora is still very imperfect because of the impossibility of finding artificial media in which it could be grown. Notwithstanding this difficulty, however, a rational solution of the problem must be sought.”</span></p>
<p><span>With detailed analysis of the hidden microbial world now possible, we are sure to see an increase in research exploring the possible health benefits of probiotic microbes derived from fermented foods.<span> </span></span></p>
<h2><span>References:<span> </span></span></h2>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">1. Kok CR, Hutkins R. <a href="https://academic.oup.com/nutritionreviews/article/76/Supplement_1/4/5185609" target="_blank">Yogurt and other fermented foods as sources of health-promoting bacteria. </a>Nutr Rev. 2018 Dec 1;76(Supplement_1):4-15</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">2. Dumas AA, Lapointe A, Dugrenier M, Provencher V, Lamarche B, Desroches S. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27807623" target="_blank">A systematic review of the effect of yogurt consumption on chronic diseases risk markers in adults</a>. Eur J Nutr. 2017 Jun;56(4):1375-1392.</p>Is a hunter-gather diet and lifestyle healthy? http://www.scientificwellness.com/blog-view/is-a-huntergather-diet-and-lifestyle-healthy-6812019-01-06T16:11:28+00:002019-01-06T16:11:28+00:00A review of the diet and lifestyle of hunter-gatherers as a model for health promotion advances our knowledge and busts popular �paleo diet� myths. <!-- p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Helvetica; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Helvetica; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000; min-height: 13.0px} li.li1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Helvetica; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} span.s1 {font-kerning: none} span.s2 {font: 11.0px Symbol} span.Apple-tab-span {white-space:pre} ul.ul1 {list-style-type: disc} -->
<p><span>A review of the diet and lifestyle of hunter-gatherers as a model for health promotion advances our knowledge and busts popular ‘paleo diet’ myths.<span> </span></span></p>
<p><span>For some time, scientists have been using fossil and ethnographic records to find reasons why departure from hunter-gatherer life-ways may help explain the rise of modern ‘diseases of civilization’ such as heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and cancer.<span> </span></span></p>
<p><span>In addition to considerable research, evolutionary medicine has captivated the public, most notably in popular diet books where the ‘paleodiet’ concept is used to justify low-carbohydrate diets.</span> </p>
<p><span>But<span> </span>our understanding of hunter-gather life-ways has important limitations, and popular notions may be “romanticized caricatures of some lost Eden,” point out the authors of a new review and update on hunter-gatherer health and lifestyles.<span> </span></span></p>
<p><span>Focusing on the topics of health, physical activity, energy expenditure and diet, the research team summarise recent discoveries and supplement them with some of their own work studying Hadza hunter-gatherers in northern Tanzania.</span></p>
<p><span>Here are the key findings:<span> </span></span></p>
<ul>
<li><span>Longevity among small-scale hunter-gatherer or subsistence farming populations approaches that of industrialized populations, and metabolic and cardiovascular disease are rare.<span> </span></span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span>Obesity prevalence is very low (<5%), and mean body fat percentage is modest (women: 24- 28%, men: 9-18%).<span> </span></span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span>Activity levels are high, exceeding 100 min per day of moderate and vigorous physical activity, but daily energy expenditures are similar to industrialized populations.<span> </span></span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span>Diets in hunter-gatherer and other small-scale societies tend to be less energy dense and richer in fibre and micronutrients than modern diets but are not invariably low carbohydrate as sometimes argued.</span></li>
</ul>
<p><span>Regarding diet, the authors note that while early studies of hunter-gather diets suggested a relatively high proportion of energy from animal-source foods, more recent data including their own analysis of the Hadza suggest that many groups were consuming diets relatively rich in carbohydrates and simple sugar from honey. Further, new discoveries have revealed that Palaeolithic humans were eating cooked, processed grains from wild grasses.<span> So much for low-carb, grain-free popular "paleo diets." </span></span></p>
<p><span>The authors also note that there are several factors, beyond diet and exercise – including<span> </span></span>close friendships and family bonds, low levels of social and economic inequality and lots of time spent outdoors – that would also influence health. </p>
<p><span>“As we work to understand the evolutionary roots of modern disease, we should strive for a more integrative and holistic understanding of lifestyle and health among hunter-gatherers today and in our collective past,” they concluded.<span> </span></span></p>
<h2><span><strong>Reference:</strong></span> </h2>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">Pontzer H, Wood BM, Raichlen DA. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30511505" target="_blank">Hunter-gatherers as models in public health. </a>Obes Rev. 2018 Dec;19 Suppl 1:24-35.</p>Prebiotics and probiotics for irritable bowel syndromehttp://www.scientificwellness.com/blog-view/prebiotics-and-probiotics-for-irritable-bowel-6802019-01-06T15:50:42+00:002019-01-06T15:50:42+00:00An updated review of clinical studies found evidence for probiotics for symptom relief, but no clear superiority of any particular product. Current evidence does not strongly support the use of prebiotics. <!-- p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Helvetica; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Helvetica; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000; min-height: 13.0px} p.p3 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Helvetica; color: #222222; -webkit-text-stroke: #222222} p.p4 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Helvetica; color: #222222; -webkit-text-stroke: #222222; min-height: 13.0px} p.p5 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Helvetica; color: #0000ff; -webkit-text-stroke: #0000ff} span.s1 {font-kerning: none} span.s2 {font-kerning: none; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: 0px #000000} span.s3 {font-kerning: none; color: #222222; -webkit-text-stroke: 0px #222222} span.s4 {text-decoration: underline ; font-kerning: none} -->
<p><span>An updated review of clinical studies found evidence for probiotics for symptom relief, but no clear superiority of any particular product. Current evidence does not strongly support the use of prebiotics.<span> </span></span></p>
<p><span>There is increasing interest in the use of prebiotics and probiotics for reducing symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), with a large number of new clinical studies. A recently updated systematic review with meta-analysis set out to assess their efficacy.</span></p>
<p><span>The reviewers identified 53 studies of different probiotics and 3 that examined prebiotics. They also reviewed 2 studies of synbiotics, which are combinations of probiotics and prebiotics, and 8 studies of antibiotics, which, like prebiotics and probiotics may influence the gut microbiome and thus IBS.<span> </span></span></p>
<p><span>Probiotics had evidence of benefit with a number needed to treat of 7 </span><span>(the number of people that need to be treated for one to benefit compared with a control or placebo). However, efficacy of various strains or combinations of strains varied with some not superior to placebo.<span> </span></span></p>
<p>Of those probiotics that were effective for overall symptoms, combinations of strains included a six-strain combination of a combination of Bifidobacterium longum, B. bifidum, B. lactis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, L. rhamnosus and Streptococcus thermophiles, a seven-strain combination of three Bifidobacterium, three Lactobacillus and one Streptococcus and VSL#3. And single strains that demonstrated global benefit included Lactobacillus plantarum DSM 9843 (299v), Escherichia coli DSM17252, and Streptococcus faecium.<strong>*</strong></p>
<p><span>Prebiotic studies did not demonstrated benefit for fructooligosaccharides but did suggest some evidence of benefit for trans-galactooligosaccharides.<span> </span></span></p>
<p><span>“This systematic review and meta-analysis has demonstrated that particular combinations of probiotics, or specific species and strains, appear to have beneficial effects in IBS in terms of effect on global IBS symptoms and abdominal pain, but it is not possible to draw definitive conclusions about their efficacy,” wrote the study authors. “For probiotics, it remains unclear whether a particular combination of probiotics, or a specific species or strain, is more likely to be effective, or whether there is a particular IBS subtype that is more likely to benefit.”</span></p>
<p><strong>*Note:</strong> Some of these are not commercially available for use. Currently, the best practice for the use of probiotics is to trial a good quality product for 4-weeks, and if there is a poor or no treatment response to trial a different product to see if it is more effective. Microbiome testing is unnecessary. Here is <a href="/files/quick_guide_to_probiotics_for_digestive_health.pdf" target="_blank">a guide to some commercially available probiotic single-strain or multi-strain products</a> with evidence from human clinical trials.<span> </span></p>
<h2><span>Reference:<span> </span></span></h2>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">Ford AC, Harris LA, Lacy BE, Quigley EMM, Moayyedi P. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30294792" target="_blank">Systematic review with meta-analysis: the efficacy of prebiotics, probiotics, synbiotics and antibiotics in irritable bowel syndrome</a>. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2018 Nov;48(10):1044-1060.</p>Is bone broth a good source of collagen? http://www.scientificwellness.com/blog-view/is-bone-broth-a-good-source-of-collagen-6792019-01-06T15:41:31+00:002019-01-06T15:41:31+00:00Investigators recently set out to determine if bone broth would provide clinically significant levels of collagen or collagen precursors. <!-- p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Helvetica; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Helvetica; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000; min-height: 13.0px} span.s1 {font-kerning: none} -->
<p><span>Investigators recently set out to determine if bone broth would provide clinically significant levels of collagen or collagen precursors. <span> </span></span></p>
<p><span>Despite its increasing popularity as a health food, bone broth (more commonly known as stock), has little scientific evidence to support any popular health claims.<span> </span></span></p>
<p><span>One of the main suggested health benefits is that bone broth is a good source of collagen, so a research team set out to see if a typical 250 ml serving would provide clinically meaningful amounts of collagen components (hydroxyproline and hydroxyproline) and collagen forming amino acids (glycine, lysine, leucine, and proline).<span> </span></span></p>
<p><span>In total, 28 store-bought, café-bought and home-prepared samples were tested, and levels compared to a reference dose of 20 g as this is a typical dose used in existing collagen synthesis research.</span></p>
<p><span>It was found that most bone broths provided significantly lower levels of collagen components and collagen forming amino acids than that shown to be clinically able to improve collagen synthesis. For example, all but one provided combined hydroxyproline and hydroxyproline below 1 g, and most provided leucine below 500 mg and all were below 2 g.<span> </span></span></p>
<p><span>Contrary to the popular suggestion that vinegar increases collagen content the addition of vinegar did not increase amino acid content, however longer cooking may improve levels with the bone broth that was cooked the longest (72 vs. 24 hours) having the greatest content of amino acids.<span> </span></span></p>
<p><span>“This study demonstrates that it is possible to consume similar amounts of key amino acids found in collagen protein from certain bone broth preparations in similar amounts as those provided in a therapeutic dose of collagen supplements; however, it is an unlikely and potentially unrepeatable outcome,” commented the study authors. Compared to other sources of amino acids, such as purified protein, amino acids, or food sources, the dose would be impractical and unreliable. “…despite its promoted benefits, bone broth does not appear to provide a consistent or optimal source of such nutrient support,” they concluded.<span> </span></span></p>
<p><span>However, they did note that it is possible that the relatively low amounts of collagen and collagen forming amino acids in bone broth may be revealed to be clinically relevant with more research.<span> </span></span></p>
<h2><span>Reference:<span> </span></span></h2>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">Alcock RD, Shaw GC, Burke LM. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29893587" target="_blank">Bone Broth Unlikely to Provide Reliable Concentrations of Collagen Precursors Compared With Supplemental Sources of Collagen Used in Collagen Research</a>. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2018 Sep 26:1-8. doi: 10.1123/ijsnem.2018-0139. [Epub ahead of print]</p>Digestive enzymes for functional dyspepsiahttp://www.scientificwellness.com/blog-view/digestive-enzymes-for-functional-dyspepsia-6782018-10-30T13:41:12+00:002018-10-30T13:41:12+00:00Digestive enzyme supplements may be an effective way to relieve functional dyspepsia, according to a new study that builds on previous clinical research. <!-- p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000; min-height: 14.0px} p.p3 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 10.5px 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000; min-height: 11.0px} p.p4 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 10.5px 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} p.p5 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} p.p6 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 10.0px 'Courier New'; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} p.p7 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 9.0px 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} p.p8 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 9.0px 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000; min-height: 10.0px} span.s1 {font-kerning: none} span.s2 {font: 10.5px 'Times New Roman'; font-kerning: none} span.s3 {font: 10.0px Arial; font-kerning: none} span.s4 {font: 9.0px 'Times New Roman'; font-kerning: none} span.s5 {font: 6.7px Arial; font-kerning: none} span.s6 {font: 10.0px 'Courier New'; font-kerning: none} -->
<p><span>Digestive enzyme supplements may be an effective way to relieve functional dyspepsia, according to a new study that builds on previous clinical research.<span> </span></span></p>
<p><span>Dyspepsia has multiple possible causes, but one that has been under-appreciated is impaired pancreatic enzyme secretion. Pancreatic enzymes are secreted in response to eating and help break down food, but disturbed enzyme secretion can impair digestion and result in symptoms such as bloating, discomfort, and pain [1].<span> </span></span></p>
<p><span>Research suggests that some people with dyspepsia have altered pancreatic enzyme secretion and that this could explain their symptoms [2], furthermore, clinical evidence indicates that digestive enzymes are useful for the treatment of functional dyspepsia [3].</span></p>
<p><span>In a new study, patients with functional dyspepsia were assigned to treatment with digestive enzymes (three times daily, with meals) </span><span>or placebo for 60-days.<span> </span></span></p>
<p><span>Compared to placebo, supplementation with digestive enzymes significantly reduced symptoms of dyspepsia.<span> </span>The enzyme supplement was also found to be very safe and well tolerated.</span></p>
<p><span>“Results of the present trial supported the effectiveness of </span><span>multienzyme complex </span><span>as a dietary supplement in relieving the symptoms associated with functional dyspepsia, as evidenced by marked improvement in all assessed efficacy measures,” wrote the study investigators.<span> </span></span></p>
<p><span>Digestive enzymes may be an effective and safe alternative to antacids, and in people with </span><span>disturbed enzyme secretion may be targeting the underlying cause rather than blocking acid production, which may result in side-effects.<span> </span></span></p>
<p>This study used 50 mg per capsule of a proprietary multienzyme complex called DigeZyme, but doses of around 200 mg per capsule (providing amylase, protease, lipase, lactase and alpha-galactosidase) may be effective. In addition, a health professional can test for low pancreatic enzyme secretion (by measuring Fecal Elastase-1) to help personalize care. </p>
<h2><span><strong>References:<span> </span></strong></span> </h2>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">1. Leeds JS, Hopper AD, Sidhu R, et al. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19835990" target="_blank">Some patients with irritable bowel syndrome may have exocrine pancreatic insufficiency.</a> Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2010 May;8(5):433-8.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">2. Tahtaci M, Koseoglu H, Alisik M, et al. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29914168" target="_blank">Association of Low Fecal Elastase-1 and Non-Ulcer Dyspepsia. </a>J Clin Med. 2018 Jun 16;7(6).</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">3. Khandke DA, Jain SK, Shirsath PA: <a href="http://medind.nic.in/ice/t13/i5/icet13i5p181.pdf" target="_blank">Post-marketing surveillance study to assess the efficacy and tolerability of Al5zyme—A multienzyme preparation in patients with functional dyspepsia. </a>Indian Med Gazette 2013;5:181–191.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">4. Majeed M, Majeed S, Nagabhushanam K, et al.<span> </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30156436" target="_blank">Evaluation of the Safety and Efficacy of a Multienzyme Complex in Patients with Functional Dyspepsia: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study. </a>J Med Food. 2018 Aug 29. doi: 10.1089/jmf.2017.4172. [Epub ahead of print]</p>Turmeric changes the microbiome http://www.scientificwellness.com/blog-view/turmeric-changes-the-microbiome-6772018-10-30T13:31:18+00:002018-10-30T13:31:18+00:00CurcuminÂandÂturmericÂchange theÂgutÂmicrobiome, according to the first human clinical study investigating such effects. This discovery may help explain the turmeric paradox: efficacy despite poor bioavailability. <!-- p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000; min-height: 14.0px} span.s1 {font-kerning: none} -->
<p><span>Curcumin and turmeric change the gut microbiome, according to the first human clinical study investigating such effects. This discovery may help explain the turmeric paradox: efficacy despite poor bioavailability.<span> </span></span></p>
<p><span>Clinical studies have shown that turmeric or turmeric extracts are clinically effective despite poor bioavailability [1]. One possible explanation for this “turmeric paradox” is that<span> </span>gastrointestinal effects of the spice may have wider reaching systemic effects [2].</span> </p>
<p><span>Previous experimental research has indicated that curcumin, one of the many active components of turmeric<em>, </em>can significantly alter gut microbiota and that these alterations of the composition and/ or metabolic activity of gut bacteria may in part explain therapeutic benefits of curcumin [3-4].<span> </span></span></p>
<p><span>To see if turmeric alters gut bacteria in humans, a group of people were enrolled in a study that involved taking turmeric (3000 mg turmeric root plus 3.75 mg black pepper–derived extract of piperine alkaloid [BioPerine]), curcumin (3000 mg of curcumin [Curcumin C3 Complex] plus 3.75 mg BioPerine) or placebo twice daily for 8-weeks [5].</span></p>
<p><span>Using gut microbial DNA sequencing it was found that both turmeric and curcumin changed the gut microbiota in a highly similar manner, with the study investigators suggesting that “curcumin may drive the majority of observed changes observed in turmeric-treated subjects.”</span></p>
<p><span>Overall turmeric and curcumin tended to increase bacterial species richness. Interestingly, although the gut microbiota response to treatment was highly individual there was some concordance in response to turmeric/ curcumin. “Responsive” subjects had a similar microbial signature involving uniform increases in species of polysaccharide-degrading and hydrogen-consuming bacteria.</span></p>
<p><span>“This pilot study in healthy subjects has potentially raised more intriguing questions than it has fully answered and emphasizes the complexity of human intervention studies intending to study the effects of these potentially powerful herbal medicines,” commented the study investigators. One hypothesis they suggest is that individual variations in turmeric absorption may result in the observed variations in prebiotic-like effects. “Future studies that include a larger human cohort will clarify whether the “responsive” microbiota we identify here are representative and whether less prevalent response signatures in our data may be clearly defined with additional participants,” they noted. </span></p>
<p><span>If there is indeed a role of the microbiome in mediating individual responses to turmeric and/ or curcumin more research in this area could aid the understanding of its health effects in the context of personalised nutrition.<span> </span></span></p>
<h2><span><strong>References:</strong></span></h2>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">1. Shen L, Liu CC, An CY, Ji HF. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26887346" target="_blank">How does curcumin work with poor bioavailability? Clues from experimental and theoretical studies.</a> Sci Rep. 2016 Feb 18;6:20872.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">2. Lopresti AL. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29438458" target="_blank">The Problem of Curcumin and Its Bioavailability: Could Its Gastrointestinal Influence Contribute to Its Overall Health-Enhancing Effects?</a> Adv Nutr. 2018 Jan 1;9(1):41-50.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">3. Feng W, Wang H, Zhang P, Gao C, Tao J, Ge Z, Zhu D, Bi Y. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28341485" target="_blank">Modulation of gut microbiota contributes to curcumin-mediated attenuation of hepatic steatosis in rats. </a>Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj. 2017 Jul;1861(7):1801-1812.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">4. Shen L, Liu L, Ji HF. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28814952" target="_blank">Regulative effects of curcumin spice administration on gut microbiota and its pharmacological implications.</a> Food Nutr Res. 2017 Aug 9;61(1):1361780.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span>5. Peterson CT, Vaughn AR, Sharma V, et al</span>. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30088420" target="_blank">Effects of Turmeric and Curcumin Dietary Supplementation on Human Gut Microbiota: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Pilot Study. </a>J Evid Based Integr Med. 2018 Jan-Dec;23:2515690X18790725.</p>Folate advice not good enough?http://www.scientificwellness.com/blog-view/folate-advice-not-good-enough-6762018-10-30T13:16:42+00:002018-10-30T13:16:42+00:00Most women in the United Kingdom are not consuming enough folate to reduce risk for birth defects. Taking into consideration poor dietary exposure and wide-spread deficiency, current recommendations for folate supplementation may be too low. <!-- p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000; min-height: 14.0px} p.p3 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 6.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: #000000; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000; min-height: 14.0px} p.p4 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; color: #0b0d0d; -webkit-text-stroke: #0b0d0d} span.s1 {font-kerning: none} -->
<p><span>Most women in the United Kingdom are not consuming enough folate to reduce risk of birth defects. Taking into consideration poor dietary exposure and wide-spread deficiency, current recommendations for folate supplementation may be too low.<span> </span></span></p>
<p><span>A recent analysis of<strong> </strong>nutrient intakes in reproductive age women found that<strong> </strong>96% had intake of iron and folate below daily recommendations for pregnancy [1]. Adequate intake of folate is critical for improving pregnancy outcomes with estimates suggesting a substantial number of neural tube defects could be prevented with improved folate intake [2].<span> </span></span></p>
<p><span>Because diet is relatively ineffective at achieving adequate folate concentrations in pregnancy for the prevention of neural tube defects </span>(red blood cell folate concentration above 906 nmol/L) supplementation is recommended [3]. </p>
<p><span>Current recommendations for pregnancy are folate or a folate-containing multivitamin supplement providing 400 µg/ day [4], however a recent study suggests this amount may not be able to achieve optimal red blood cell (RBC) folate levels to prevent birth defects [5].</span></p>
<p><span>Because the daily folate dose needed to achieve RBC-folate levels is not well established, a research group set out to test the difference between 400 or 800 µg/day of folate over 8-weeks in Germany which, like United Kingdom, does not have mandatory folic acid fortification and low dietary intake as a consequence.<span> </span></span></p>
<p><span>At baseline, 88% of women had RBC-folate levels below 906 nmol/L. Remarkably, women with low RBC-folate levels were unlikely to achieve optimal levels with 400 µg/day. Compared to the 400 µg/ day dose it was found that significantly more women taking 800 µg/ day achieved optimal RBC-folate concentrations at 4 weeks (31.3 vs. 45.5% for 400 µg and 800µg, respectively) or 8 weeks (54.5 vs. 83.8%).</span></p>
<p><span>“In a country without folic acid fortification, the current recommendation to supplement 400 µg/day is not sufficient to achieve protective RBC-folate levels if supplemented for 4–8 weeks,” commented the study investigators.</span></p>
<p>The supplement used in this study was a 50:50 mixture of folic acid and calcium-L-methylfolate (L-5-MTHF), which may have <a href="/blog-view/methylfolate-vs-folic-acid-for-pregnancy--666" target="_blank">improved folate status compared to folic acid</a> alone.</p>
<h2><span><strong>References:<span> </span></strong></span></h2>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span><strong></strong></span>1. Stephenson J, Heslehurst N, Hall J, et al. <a style="font-size: 14px;" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29673873" target="_blank">Before the beginning: nutrition and lifestyle in the preconception period and its importance for future health</a><span style="color: #7a5f52; font-size: 14px;">. Lancet. 2018 May 5;391(10132):1830-1841.</span></p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">2. Morris JK, Rankin J, Draper ES, et al. <a href="https://adc.bmj.com/content/early/2015/11/13/archdischild-2015-309226" target="_blank">Prevention of neural tube defects in the UK: a missed opportunity. </a>Arch Dis Child. 2016 Jul;101(7):604-7.<br />3. Cuskelly GJ, McNulty H, Scott JM. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8596381" target="_blank">Effect of increasing dietary folate on red-cell folate: implications for prevention of neural tube defects.</a> Lancet. 1996 Mar 9;347(9002):657-9.<br />4. Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition. Folic acid updated recommendations. 12 July 2017. <br />5. Obeid R, Schön C, Wilhelm M, Pietrzik K, Pilz S. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28447203" target="_blank">The effectiveness of daily supplementation with 400 or 800 µg/day folate in reaching protective red blood folate concentrations in non-pregnant women: a randomized trial.</a> Eur J Nutr. 2018 Aug;57(5):1771-1780.</p>
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