Although we know how important it is to have a rich, balanced and resilient community of microorganisms in the colon in order to enjoy overall well-being and health, scientists still do not know what a healthy microbiota looks like. A new study with more than 8,000 participants sheds light on the question.
Assumed for a long-time immune system training started after birth, when mom’s microbiota started colonizing the newborn, Yale University scientists point out that process may have begun much earlier, in utero.
Diet plays a key role in early life by modulating gut microbiota, thus affecting overall health
9 Jun 2021by Cristina Sáez
Numerous studies have been published on the impact of factors such as nutrition in early life, mode of delivery and antibiotic intake during this critical period and for future health. With that in mind, scientists have reviewed all the scientific data available on the impact of early life nutrition on the gut microbiota and the long-lasting effects on the brain.
Following a diverse diet, rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and fermented foods, could play a protective role against severe forms of COVID-19. A new review presents the hypothesis highlighting the link between a less diversified microbiota, a high intake of processed foods and refined sugars and severe Covid-19 cases in Western countries.
How brain health affects gut microbiota health (and vice versa): What we have learned in 2020
20 Jan 2021by Cristina Sáez
A balanced gut microbiota is crucial for mental health. Learn more about how gut bacteria affect our central nervous system, even in the earliest stages of life, and how some scientists are trying to find ways of targeting the gut microbiome to improve or treat symptoms of neurological diseases.
What you eat while pregnant may affect your baby’s gut microbiota and growth
21 Oct 2020by Cristina Sáez
A new study concludes that what mothers eat while pregnant shapes their gut microbiota composition and that, in turn, has an effect on the composition of their babies’ gut microbial community.
Scientists have started to investigate the role gut microbiota might play in either protecting against COVID-19 or on the contrary in increasing vulnerability to severe symptomatic disease. Any conclusions would be highly relevant to preventing increased mortality among elderly nursing home residents.
A study, which was the largest in the field and published in JAMA Pediatrics, reveals that breastfeeding favors the implantation of a healthy gut microbiota in babies.
Can these tests help doctors in their daily practice? Who should take a stool test and who should prescribe it? Interview with Andrea Hardy, Fernando Azpiroz and Joël Doré (Part 2)
More and more used, what can fecal microbiota test kits tell us? Three experts give their opinion
12 Mar 2020by Cristina Sáez
We asked Andrea Hardy, Fernando Azpiroz, and Joël Doré, about stool and gut microbiota testing, to know more about it and its limits.