UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — An industrial chemical — phased out since 2002, but previously used in stain and water-repellent products and firefighting foam — alters the gut microbiome of mice and could have implications for human health, according to an international team of researchers. Perfluorooctane…
Researchers at San Diego State University have found a new way to harness food as medicine, which has far reaching implications to control harmful microbes in our gut while balancing microbial diversity by fostering the growth of beneficial bacteria. Foods we eat commonly affect our…
By Alanna Ketler The Facts: Many commonly prescribed medications have been found to have a drastic affect on the “good bacteria” in our gut. Reflect On: It is important to be aware of all potential side effects before taking a new drug to decide whether…
Disrupting the daily routine of gut microbes in mice impacts their metabolism, increasing the risk for metabolic dysfunction, according to a new study. The results may inform a link between microbiota damage and human obesity, for example, in our modern environment, the authors say. “Our…
Dogs with a Crohn’s-like disease fed a special diet were found to have characteristic changes in their gut microbiomes, paralleling changes seen in children with Crohn’s. Much remains mysterious about the factors influencing human inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), but one aspect that has emerged as…
The microorganisms living in the intestines could help with muscle growth and function, opening new doors to interventions for age-related skeletal muscle loss, an international research team led by Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) has found. Through a series of strength and movement-related exercises…
As Rodolfo Martinez-Mota well knows, from the cactus spines in his clothes and skin, white-throated woodrats love to eat prickly pear cactus (from the Opuntia genus). They like the cactus so much that their gut microorganism community, or microbiome, is specially equipped to break down…
Getting up close – and a little dirty – with farm animals just might help us fend off illness, say researchers who’ve further demonstrated the benefits of early exposure to a wide variety of environmental bacteria. Scientists from The Ohio State University found that bacteria…
