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“WHERE THINGS SO SMALL CAN HAVE A MASSIVE IMPACT ON YOUR HEALTH.”
Herbsprout is a webblog and podcast dedicated to sharing the health benefits of herbs, food, innovations related to our gut microbiome. Herbsprout seeks to bridge the vast chasm dividing the mainstream medical community and alternative medicine.

Current methods for detecting gut microbes are flawed

Jun
7
thread
Current methods for detecting ...
Microbiome research has become one of the largest and fastest growing areas of research. But that research may have flaws. A study brought to light by SciTech Daily shows major flaws in common techniques used to identify microbial communities.

The experiment led by Belén Serrano-Antón, Francisco Rodríguez-Ventura, Pere Colomer-Vidal, Riccardo Aiese Cigliano, Clemente F. Arias and Federica Bertocchini (8 February 2023, PLOS ONE) of DNA analyses using computer simulations of “real life” communities have little resemblance to the actual composition of bacterial communities, according to the March 15 2023 SciTech Daily report. In fact, researchers found a large number of the species are not even present in the community.

Researchers recommend increased efforts to collect genome information from microbes to aid in accuracy of their research.

https://scitechdaily.com/beware-of-the-microbial-mirage-current-microbiome-analyses-may-mislead-scientists-with-false-species-detection/

https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0280391

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antibiotic resistance grows in high use areas

Jun
3
thread
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Earlham Institute and Quadram Institute in the UK in conjunction with a team of scientists suggests that any and all of the bacteria and other microorganisms in and on human bodies can be antibiotic resistant.

“A population with a heavy burden of antibiotic consumption, that leads to more resistance genes in their microbiome,” says microbial ecologist Chris Quince, Earlham Institute and Quadram Institute.

Their research found median total ARG (anti-microbial resistance genes) abundance and diversity varied based on the level of antibiotic consumption in that country. A higher number of antibiotic resistance genes of gut microbiome exists in countries where antibiotics were used more regularly.

https://www.sciencealert.com/antibiotic-resistance-can-emerge-in-your-gut-even-without-antibiotics-use

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Alleviate hay fever by gut bacteria

May
24
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source: dreamstime source: dreamstime
Hay fever is often a result of inflammation, and affects up to 42 percent of us, according to an April 22 2023 report by Science Alert. While it is common knowledge that our gut microbiome regulates our immune system, researchers found that people suffering from hay fever tend to have lower gut microbiome diversity compared to those without the condition.

Additionally, people with hay fever have more of certain bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus. Lactobacillus acidophilus, on the other hand, is known to reduce hay fever. According to the Science Alert report, increases in strains such as Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, Bifidobacterium lactis, Bifidobacterium bifidum and Lactobacillus casei have also shown some promise in reducing hay fever symptoms.

Science Alert encourages people suffering from hay fever symptoms to consume more prebiotic and probiotic fermented foods during hay fever season such as yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi and kombucha.

https://www.sciencealert.com/keeping-hay-fever-in-check-may-be-as-easy-as-maintaining-these-two-microbiomes

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8256161/

https://www.nature.com/articles/ejcn2012197

 

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Caution when taking probiotics . . . and why

Apr
26
thread
Caution when taking probiotics ...
It has become common knowledge that bacteria in our gut helps us process nutrients and strengthen our immune system. Preserving live bacteria (probiotics) for healthy consumption goes back to consuming live cultures or fermented foods such as sauerkraut, pickles, kimchi, kombucha, kefir, yogurt, and cheeses, and not so much the over-the-counter pills (1).

However, there is a subset of individuals who may benefit from probiotic supplements. These come in the form of capsules, gummies, powders and pills that contain live microorganisms believed to boost gut health, according to a March 28 2023 report by the Washington Post (3).

The belief among microbiome researchers is that people suffering from gut related ailments such as irritable bowel syndrome or those affected by consuming antibiotics (known to harm microbiome diversity) can benefit from taking probiotic supplements.

How can these supplements prove effective? Azcarate-Peril recommends that consumers “rotate the probiotics.” Azcarate-Peril is a member of the Center for Gastrointestinal Biology and Disease at University of North Carolina.

In a randomized clinical trial, patients who were given Lactobacillus rhamnosus which decreased the amount of Prevotella and Dehalobacterium bacterium, coincided with an improved cognitive function, according to Azcarate-Peril and John Gunstad, PhD, of Kent State University (2).

Lorenzo Cohen, professor and director of the Integrative Medicine Program at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston warns that taking concentrated doses of a few strains of bacteria can upset the balance in your gut, and inadvertently cause dysbiosis. Consuming probiotic supplements known to offer an abundance of lactobacillus and bifidobacterium, for example, can create an imbalance by crowding out other good bacteria needed in order for the gut to thrive. Since everyone’s body is different and respond to supplements differently, doctors generally recommend their patients focus more on eating a healthy diet that includes fermented foods (3).

1) https://www.cnet.com/google-amp/news/12-best-probiotic-foods-for-your-gut-health/

2) https://www.news-medical.net/amp/news/20230328/Understanding-how-to-better-prescribe-probiotics-based-on-our-individual-microbiome-profiles.aspx

3) https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2023/03/28/probiotics-supplements-gut-health-microbiome/

 

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more on foods that help the gut

Mar
28
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image source: dreamstime image source: dreamstime
As the saying goes, “you are what you eat.” Natural probiotics are a pretty safe bet, but balance is important.

Dieting can be damaging to our gut microbiome. The problem with common diets is they often restrict eating carbohydrates which are healthy in prebiotics fibers such as grains, bread products, and fruits. These are nourishing to the gut’s microbiome, which can contribute to a decrease­ in bacterial diversity, according to a March 02, 2023 article in Dance Magazine (1).

Dr. Carolyn Williams, PH.D., RD, says “Sauerkraut, cottage cheese and yogurt (Greek) with live cultures, kimchi and kombucha are all whole-food sources of probiotics,” as reported in a February 14, 2023 issue of Eating Well. Kefir (a dairy-based drink) and Tempeh (a traditional Indonesian food) were also mentioned in this article (2).

Healthy prebiotics include artichokes, dragon fruit, garlic, mushrooms, oats, and soybeans. Williams emphasized the importance of eating fresh refrigerated foods with minimal processed ingredients (Eating Well). The role of prebiotics are types of fiber that are not digested but in the colon, where they are fermented to provide “food” for gut-healthy probiotics.

In addition to fresh produce, health experts recommend consumers look for labeling marked “contains live cultures” or “contains active cultures”, according to a March 4, 2023 CNET article (3).

1) https://www.dancemagazine.com/three-practices-that-harm-gut-microbiome/

2) https://www.eatingwell.com/article/8021156/foods-to-improve-gut-health-overnight/

3) https://www.cnet.com/google-amp/news/12-best-probiotic-foods-for-gut-health/

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Why is butyrate so critical to a healthy gut; it’s more than healthy eating

Mar
22
thread
Why is butyrate...
How often do we feel bloated or inflammation in our belly after a meal?

You thought you ate a healthy salad dish of fresh vegetables, but you’re stomach hurts. You thought you didn’t stuff your face, but you feel bloated. The answer often lies in a deficiency of butyric acid (butyrate). Without healthy butyrate production, you become vulnerable to leaky gut and inflammation.

A study reported February 08, 2023 by Cell, conducted a study that revealed differences in gut microbiome diversity and abundance among 106 cases of patients of Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) versus 91 healthy controls. The study used microbiome-based machine learning classifier models.

Two key butyrate-producing bacteria in our gut are Faecalibacterium prausnitziiand Eubacterium rectale. These are both abundant in people with health immune systems, and deficient in people suffering from ME/CFS.

https://www.cell.com/cell-host-microbe/fulltext/S1931-3128(23)00029-X

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MS prevention at the microbiome source

Mar
9
thread
MS prevention at the microbio...
Major breakthroughs seem to accelerate as more energy is dedicated to research in a field. This is true of gut microbiome research. Multiple Sclerosis is debilitating disease where our own immune system causes nerve damage by eating away at the protective covering of nerves.

Scientists at the University of Virginia (UVA) sought to find out what attacks the sheaths around nerves in the brain causing Multiple Sclerosis (MS). They found that the inflammation-causing mechanism could be turned off at its source, in the gut microbiome, according to a February 16 2023 report in New Atlas. This is a new approach to potentially treating multiple sclerosis, says Andrea Merchak, neuroscience doctoral candidate at UVA and lead author of the study.

Researchers in 2021 found that inhibiting a protein called Piezo1 produced by T-cells could allow the cells to decrease inflammation in mouse models.

Building on the 2021 work, the University of Virginia researchers targeted the regulator of inflammation-causing aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR). AHR is produced by T-cells, a type of white blood cell that battles invaders to the body. When the researchers blocked it in the guts of mice, they found that the microbiome was able to produce compounds such as bile salts and short-chain fatty acids that made it difficult for the T-cells to thrive, and decrease the inflammation in mice leading to MS.

https://newatlas.com/biology/multiple-sclerosis-recovery-microbiome/

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energy-producing Geobacter shows practical application

Mar
9
thread
energy-producing Geobacter s...

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Level of specific strain of gut microbes tied to fatigue syndrome

Mar
1
thread
Level of specific strain of gut ...

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more studies confirm herbs aid in microbial diversity, gut health

Feb
20
thread
image source: dreamstime.com image source: dreamstime.com
“Research has shown that people who have a lot of different microbes have better health, and a better diet, than those who don’t have much bacterial diversity,” says Penny M. Kris-Etherton, Evan Pugh University Professor of Nutritional Sciences, Penn State, in a February 7, 2023 SciTech Daily report (1).

According to The Journal of Nutrition, scientists analyzed the impact of adding blends of eating peanuts, herbs and spices — such as cinnamon, ginger, cumin, turmeric, rosemary, oregano, basil, and thyme (2). An increase of snacking on peanuts of 28 grams (approx. 1 ounce) per day showed significant improvement in the abundance of Ruminococcaceae, a gut bacteria associated with butyrate production, healthy immune and liver function. A mid to high (3/4 – 1 1/2 teaspoons per day) consumption of the aforementioned herbs and spices showed significant increases in bacteria diversity, including Ruminococcaceae over a one month test period (2).

 
1) https://www.clinicalnutritionjournal.com/article/S0261-5614(22)00290-4/fulltext

2) https://scitechdaily.com/just-a-teaspoon-adding-herbs-and-spices-to-your-diet-could-improve-gut-health/

https://herbsprout.home.blog/2023/01/13/good-foods-herbs-for-our-gut/

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