With the end of May is upon us, it’s the signal of
the lazy, hazy, happy days of summer!
It’s also a cue that it’s time for my Top Health Reads in wellness, health, nutrition,
functional medicine, and geeky fun-facts for the month. (You can find all the
top headlines here.)
For you, my Saratoga.com friends, I’ve highlighted
the top news in one of my favorite subjects- the microbiome (our buggy friends that reside in our insides)
and the drugs that eat them!
The
Power of Our Microbiome
More
On the Diversity Of Gut Bugs
Another
study on the differences between Americans gut bugs and
other populations was done: Here, we have
compared the fecal microbiota of adults from two non-industrialized regions in
Papua New Guinea (PNG) with that of United States (US) residents. Papua New
Guineans harbor communities with greater bacterial diversity, lower
inter-individual variation, vastly different abundance profiles, and bacterial
lineages undetectable in US residents. (Cell Reports, April 2015)
The
Microbiome Fingerprint
What the bugs on our body can do has no end! Forensic
science may focus on your bacteria verses your DNA in the future, says Yahoo
UK. (AFP, May 11, 2015.)
Glutamine
Feeds Good Bugs In Study
A 14 day study with 33 overweight or obese
subjects found:
üOral supplementation with l-glutamine (GLN)
promotes changes in the gut microbiota composition.
üThe ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes decreased
after GLN supplementation.
üFirmicutes and Actinobacteria reduced
significantly after glutamine supplementation.
üThe effects of oral supplementation with GLN on
gut microbiota are similar to those seen in weight loss. (Am J of Nutrition, June 2015).
Your
Gut Bugs on McDonald’s For 10 Days… Not the Food for Good Belly Bugs (Time)
Eating
McDonald’s for 10 days straight can wreak havoc on the healthy bacteria in your
body that makes up your microbiome, according to one man who tried it so the
rest of us don’t have to. (Time May 2015)
The
Belly Bug Fighters- News on Antibiotics
Although antibiotics may be life-saving at times,
they deplete our microbiome and the rise of resistance is a problem. Here’s May’s news on these bug quenchers…
2
Ways Antibiotics May Increase Risk for Diseases
1. WebMD reports: Researchers analyzed data from one million people in the United Kingdom
and found that those who were prescribed at least two courses of four types of
antibiotics — penicillins, cephalosporins, quinolones and macrolides — were
more likely to develop diabetes. ((March 25, 2015 (HealthDay News))
2. Antibiotic Use in
Infants Can Affect Microbiome and Can Be Associated with Adult Disease (Cell,
Host, & Microbe. May 13, 2015)
Diagnostic Errors Increase Antibiotic Use
Misdiagnoses
lead to increased risk of incorrect antibiotic use, threatening patient
outcomes and antimicrobial efficacy, while increasing healthcare costs, a new
study concludes. The researchers found that 95 percent of patients with an
incorrect or indeterminate diagnosis, or with a symptom identified but no
diagnosis made, were given inappropriate antibiotics. (Science Daily, May 18,
2015)
FDA
Asks for More Details On Animals & Antibiotics
(Reuters)
– The U.S Food and Drug Administration said it is asking drugmakers for data on
antimicrobials sold for use in each food animal, such as cows and chickens, as
part of efforts to combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria. (Medscape, May 20,
2015)
Remember, you can keep your gut bugs happy with a
good diet, decreasing the impact of stress, exercise, avoiding toxins, and
having fun!
