Immune Health Archives - Gut Microbiota for Health

The role of probiotics on respiratory and gastrointestinal tract infections in healthy people: what science says today?

29 Mar 2021

by Andreu Prados

The role of gut microbiota in shaping immune responses has led scientists to explore the modulation of the immune system as a mechanism underlying the health benefits of probiotics. A new systematic review and meta-analysis of 9 randomized clinical trials suggest probiotics may reduce the incidence of respiratory and gastrointestinal tract infections in generally healthy children and adults.

Does functional abdominal pain have an organic explanation? Gut-localized immune responses offer new clues for patients with functional gastrointestinal disorders

8 Mar 2021

by Rene van den Wijngaard

Abdominal pain affects a huge amount of people nowadays, though its underlying mechanisms are not always understood. New findings in mice and humans reveal that localized immune responses against harmless foods might be involved in persistent “functional” abdominal pain.

What major scientific breakthroughs have been made in gut microbiome science in 2020?

28 Dec 2020

by Andreu Prados

Although the COVID-19 pandemic has shifted the focus of research for scientists worldwide, major breakthroughs in gut microbiome science have been made in 2020. In this last post of the year, we bring you articles from our blog that cover the major advances in the gut microbiome in 2020, from bench to bedside.

What is the role of nutrition in immunity and host susceptibility to COVID-19?

21 Dec 2020

by Andreu Prados

The metabolic activity of immune cells is enhanced after a viral infection, such as the one driven by COVID-19. Dietary approaches that support a healthy gut microbiome can benefit the immune system and ensure a good nutritional status that would help the host deal with pathogens.

Health benefits linked to yogurt consumption could be explained as a result of improvements in gut barrier function

24 Aug 2020

by GMFH Editing Team

The mechanisms underlying associations between yogurt consumption and a reduced risk of negative health outcomes have not been widely studied. A cross-sectional study now suggests that maintaining normal gut barrier function is a new mechanism that supports the benefits of consuming yogurt.

The 2020 Gut Microbiota for Health World Summit report #GMFH2020

20 May 2020

by GMFH Editing Team

The last 9th Gut Microbiota for Health World Summit hold in Madrid on March updated the science behind diet, the balance between gut microbiota and the immune system, mental health, food intolerances and functional gut disorders, among others. Check out here the Summit’s official report.

Is gut microbiome-lung crosstalk worth considering during the current COVID-19 pandemic?

11 May 2020

by Andreu Prados

While patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 typically present with a respiratory illness, certain patients also report gastrointestinal symptoms. The presence of virus receptors in gastrointestinal epithelial cells and an altered gut microbiota composition in some patients might have implications for managing COVID-19.

Analysis of the fetal intestine suggests limited bacterial colonization with potential immunological functions

27 Apr 2020

by Andreu Prados

Whether bacterial colonization starts in utero is still a matter for scientific debate. The study of the fetal intestinal content collected from terminated pregnancies reveals some evidence for early bacterial colonization linked to distinct immune imprinting.

Will gut microbiota provide the solution to all of our health problems?

23 Apr 2020

by Patrice D. Cani

Gut microbiota, with its close links to metabolism and the immune system, could potentially be a factor that lies at the core of good health. This means it can be positioned at the heart of the processes that influence the risk of contracting different diseases.

Baseline gut microbiota leads to personalized responses to a 7-day amoxicillin-clavulanate challenge in mice

30 Jan 2020

by GMFH Editing Team

Gut microbiome responses to antibiotics and their long-lasting effects on the host remain poorly characterized. A new mice study shows that amoxicillin-clavulanate for 7 days leads to personalized changes in gut microbiota composition and colonic transcriptome.