by Mónica Quinzo
Gut microbiota plays a role in cholesterol metabolism by influencing bile acid production. Recent research has identified a microbial process that helps maintain metabolic balance and prevent fat accumulation. Understanding this interaction may provide insights into metabolic health and disease prevention.
by Andreu Prados
The composition of the gut microbiome depends mainly on diet. A new study sheds light on the most beneficial diet for your gut – and it may have to do with the food quality and diversity you consume rather than whether you follow a vegan, vegetarian, or omnivore diet.
The microbial colonization of a baby's gut is primarily influenced by the mother's vaginal microbiota during birth and by breast milk. Two new studies have found for the first time that fathers also contribute to the establishment of the baby's microbiota, which could have health implications.
Two hospitals in Barcelona, the Clínic and Bellvitge, have launched Spain's first Fecal Microbiota Bank. Their goal is to obtain donations of stool from healthy individuals to perform microbiota transplants on patients suffering from potentially fatal infections of bacteria known as C. difficile infections. We step into the fecal microbiota transfer units of both hospitals to learn how they operate and meet some of the donors.
The bacteria that make up our gut microbiota lead a very active social life: they communicate and collaborate with each other, but also compete and keep each other in check. To a great extent, our health depends on this communication between them and with our cells. Hence, understanding how they relate to each other will be key to advancing toward the personalized medicine of the future.
by Cristina Sáez
An international team of scientists has studied diaper samples of nearly 650 healthy 1-year-old babies for 5 years and has discovered 10,000 species of viruses, most of them unknown until now. Far from causing children to be sick, those viruses are thought to be true allies, playing an important role in protecting us from chronic diseases.
While SIBO is not new, it has recently gained popularity on the internet and on social media as the result of a set of non-specific symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating, and even chronic fatigue. In this post, we will discuss what SIBO is and what it is not, its roots, symptoms, diagnosis, and management.
Research on the gut microbiome has mainly focused on bacteria, while other key microorganisms such as fungi have been largely overlooked. Learn more about the fungal microbiota’s relevance for health, how it develops across the lifespan and how you can take care of it.
by GMFH Editing Team
As part of the effort to understand the many health-related aspects affected by the gut microbiota, a new collaborative project called Le French Gut, which is part of the international “Million Microbiome of Humans Project”, has just been launched in France.
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.
