Category : Diet

Considering that diet is—together with medication—one of the major influencing factors with regards to gut microbiota composition, research is now focusing on how dietary nutrients may affect gut microbial communities. Specifically, an association was previously found between essential omega-3 fatty acid DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and gut microbiome diversity in healthy elderly people. However, evidence from randomized trials assessing the effect…

Stéphane Schneider
Professor Stéphane Schneider heads the Nutritional Support Unit in the Gastroenterology and Nutrition Department Archet University Hospital in Nice (France). He is also head of the Nice University Hospital’s food-nutrition liaison committee. Dr. Schneider is vice-president of the French-Speaking Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (SFNEP), and chairs the Educational and Clinical Practice Committee of the European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN). Three years after receiving his M.D. in Gastroenterology from the University of Nice Sophia-Antipolis, he became an assistant Professor and later a full Professor of Nutrition. He is also certified by the European Board of Gastroenterology and Hepatology. He obtained a Master of Science from the University of Paris VII, and a Ph.D. in nutrition from the University Paul Cezanne, as well as a CME Diploma from Harvard Medical School. His main research interests are intestinal failure and the effects of aging and chronic diseases on nutritional status. He has published 188 articles in peer-reviewed scientific journals, with an h index of 37. His goal is to help understand better the role of the intestinal ecosystem, as well as the effects of different forms of bacteriotherapy, in digestive and non-digestive disorders featuring dysbiosis.

Considering that diet is—together with medication—one of the major influencing factors with regards to gut microbiota composition, research is now focusing on how dietary nutrients may affect gut microbial communities. Specifically, an association was previously found between essential omega-3 fatty acid DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and gut microbiome diversity in healthy elderly people. However, evidence from randomized trials assessing the effect…

Stéphane Schneider
Professor Stéphane Schneider heads the Nutritional Support Unit in the Gastroenterology and Nutrition Department Archet University Hospital in Nice (France). He is also head of the Nice University Hospital’s food-nutrition liaison committee. Dr. Schneider is vice-president of the French-Speaking Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (SFNEP), and chairs the Educational and Clinical Practice Committee of the European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN). Three years after receiving his M.D. in Gastroenterology from the University of Nice Sophia-Antipolis, he became an assistant Professor and later a full Professor of Nutrition. He is also certified by the European Board of Gastroenterology and Hepatology. He obtained a Master of Science from the University of Paris VII, and a Ph.D. in nutrition from the University Paul Cezanne, as well as a CME Diploma from Harvard Medical School. His main research interests are intestinal failure and the effects of aging and chronic diseases on nutritional status. He has published 188 articles in peer-reviewed scientific journals, with an h index of 37. His goal is to help understand better the role of the intestinal ecosystem, as well as the effects of different forms of bacteriotherapy, in digestive and non-digestive disorders featuring dysbiosis.

Western diets high in fats and sugars, modern lifestyles with stress and sedentarism and the indiscriminate use of antibiotics together with other frequently prescribed drugs -such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and proton pump inhibitors- are major drivers of changes in microbiota composition and gut barrier disruption. (Dr. Maria Rescigno) The GMFH publishing team is pleased to share a new summary…

GMFH Editing Team
GMFH Editing Team

Western diets high in fats and sugars, modern lifestyles with stress and sedentarism and the indiscriminate use of antibiotics together with other frequently prescribed drugs -such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and proton pump inhibitors- are major drivers of changes in microbiota composition and gut barrier disruption. (Dr. Maria Rescigno) The GMFH publishing team is pleased to share a new summary…

GMFH Editing Team
GMFH Editing Team

Consuming whole foods rich in natural fibers confers an array of health benefits. Unlike the insoluble fibers that pass through the digestive system unchanged, soluble fibers such as inulin and pectin are fermented by the bacteria found within the gut. Fermentation generates essential nutrients for the survival and growth of these gut bacteria; moreover, the production of gut metabolites (such…

Researchers from the Univ. of Toledo-Microbiome Consortium
Dr. Vishal Singh (left), Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation Fellow, and Dr. Matam Vijay-Kumar (right), Associate Professor at the Dept. of Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Medicine, The University of Toledo, OH, USA. The current and future research goals of this group is directed toward preclinical studies that can be used translationally to develop dietary fiber-based therapies for liver diseases and intestinal inflammation. Drs. Singh and Vijay-Kumar envision that not all fibers are created equally, nor will they be fermented uniformly by the gut bacteria. Dr. Singh has published more than 40 research papers in peer-reviewed scientific journals and serves as a reviewer for many international journals. Dr. Vijay-Kumar has published more than 70 articles in peer-reviewed scientific journals. He is Director of the University of Toledo-Microbiome Consortium (UT-MiCo) and serving as editor and reviewer for many international journals and grant agencies.

Consuming whole foods rich in natural fibers confers an array of health benefits. Unlike the insoluble fibers that pass through the digestive system unchanged, soluble fibers such as inulin and pectin are fermented by the bacteria found within the gut. Fermentation generates essential nutrients for the survival and growth of these gut bacteria; moreover, the production of gut metabolites (such…

Researchers from the Univ. of Toledo-Microbiome Consortium
Dr. Vishal Singh (left), Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation Fellow, and Dr. Matam Vijay-Kumar (right), Associate Professor at the Dept. of Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Medicine, The University of Toledo, OH, USA. The current and future research goals of this group is directed toward preclinical studies that can be used translationally to develop dietary fiber-based therapies for liver diseases and intestinal inflammation. Drs. Singh and Vijay-Kumar envision that not all fibers are created equally, nor will they be fermented uniformly by the gut bacteria. Dr. Singh has published more than 40 research papers in peer-reviewed scientific journals and serves as a reviewer for many international journals. Dr. Vijay-Kumar has published more than 70 articles in peer-reviewed scientific journals. He is Director of the University of Toledo-Microbiome Consortium (UT-MiCo) and serving as editor and reviewer for many international journals and grant agencies.

This post has been written by Guillermo Mena-Sanchez and co-authored by Nancy Babio and Jordi Salas-Salvadó, from published article Mena-Sánchez G, Babio N, Martínez-González MÁ, et al. Fermented dairy products, diet quality, and cardio-metabolic profile of a Mediterranean cohort at high cardiovascular risk. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2018; 28(10):1002-11. doi: 10.1016/j.numecd.2018.05.006. Fermented foods have been used for thousands of years and they come…

Researchers from the Human Nutrition Unit (URV)
Researchers from the Human Nutrition Unit (URV). Human Nutrition Unit, University Hospital of Sant Joan de Reus, Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Pere Virgili Institute for Health Research, Rovira i Virgili University, Reus, Spain: http://www.nutricio.urv.cat/

This post has been written by Guillermo Mena-Sanchez and co-authored by Nancy Babio and Jordi Salas-Salvadó, from published article Mena-Sánchez G, Babio N, Martínez-González MÁ, et al. Fermented dairy products, diet quality, and cardio-metabolic profile of a Mediterranean cohort at high cardiovascular risk. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2018; 28(10):1002-11. doi: 10.1016/j.numecd.2018.05.006. Fermented foods have been used for thousands of years and they come…

Researchers from the Human Nutrition Unit (URV)
Researchers from the Human Nutrition Unit (URV). Human Nutrition Unit, University Hospital of Sant Joan de Reus, Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Pere Virgili Institute for Health Research, Rovira i Virgili University, Reus, Spain: http://www.nutricio.urv.cat/

Traditionally, the diet low in fermentable oligo-, di-, and monosaccharide and polyol (FODMAP) - best as a 2-phased intervention, with strict reduction of all slowly absorbed or indigestible carbohydrates (i.e., FODMAPs) followed by reintroduction of some of them according to tolerance - has been widely used for overall gastrointestinal symptom relief in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). However, decreasing…

Andrea Hardy
Registered Dietitian, Andrea Hardy from Calgary, Canada specializes in gastrointestinal disorders and the gut microbiome. She is recognized as Canada’s gut health dietitian – educating health care professionals and the public on the pivotal role nutrition plays in gut health. You can find her at Ignite Nutrition, or on Twitter (@AndreaHardyRD).

Traditionally, the diet low in fermentable oligo-, di-, and monosaccharide and polyol (FODMAP) - best as a 2-phased intervention, with strict reduction of all slowly absorbed or indigestible carbohydrates (i.e., FODMAPs) followed by reintroduction of some of them according to tolerance - has been widely used for overall gastrointestinal symptom relief in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). However, decreasing…

Andrea Hardy
Registered Dietitian, Andrea Hardy from Calgary, Canada specializes in gastrointestinal disorders and the gut microbiome. She is recognized as Canada’s gut health dietitian – educating health care professionals and the public on the pivotal role nutrition plays in gut health. You can find her at Ignite Nutrition, or on Twitter (@AndreaHardyRD).

The gut microbiome is currently considered to be a potential target for preventing conditions that have been associated with imbalances in gut microbial communities. In addition to medication, diet is a major modulator of gut microbiota composition, and this is explained by the way some fibers (containing microbiota-accessible carbohydrates) can be selectively utilized by commensal microbes, thus conferring a health…

Andreu Prados
Andreu Prados holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Pharmacy & Human Nutrition and Dietetics. Science writer specialised in gut microbiota and probiotics, working also as lecturer and consultant in nutrition and healthcare. Follow Andreu on Twitter @andreuprados

The gut microbiome is currently considered to be a potential target for preventing conditions that have been associated with imbalances in gut microbial communities. In addition to medication, diet is a major modulator of gut microbiota composition, and this is explained by the way some fibers (containing microbiota-accessible carbohydrates) can be selectively utilized by commensal microbes, thus conferring a health…

Andreu Prados
Andreu Prados holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Pharmacy & Human Nutrition and Dietetics. Science writer specialised in gut microbiota and probiotics, working also as lecturer and consultant in nutrition and healthcare. Follow Andreu on Twitter @andreuprados

Surf the web and you’ll find many claims about probiotics, but many times what’s said isn’t based on fact. Sometimes this is because the author just doesn’t know the science. Sometimes it seems to be intentional, to promote some aspect of one product as better than other products. The International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) created an infographic…

Mary Ellen Sanders
Mary Ellen Sanders is a consultant in the area of probiotic microbiology, with special expertise on paths to scientific substantiation of probiotic product label claims. Dr. Sanders served as the founding president of the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) and is currently the organization’s Director of Scientific Affairs/ Executive Officer. This international, non-profit association of academic and industrial scientists is dedicated to advancing the science of probiotics and prebiotics (www.isapp.net). Through numerous written, oral and video pieces, including a website, www.usprobiotics.org, she strives to provide objective, evidence-based information on probiotics for consumers and professionals. Key activities include: Panels to determine GRAS status of probiotic strains ; member of the American Gastroenterological Association Scientific Advisory Board for AGA Center for Gut Microbiome Research and Education ; World Gastroenterology Organisation Committee preparing practice guidelines for the use of probiotics and prebiotics for GI indications (2008, 2011, 2014) ; working group convened by the FAO/WHO that developed guidelines for probiotics (2002).

Surf the web and you’ll find many claims about probiotics, but many times what’s said isn’t based on fact. Sometimes this is because the author just doesn’t know the science. Sometimes it seems to be intentional, to promote some aspect of one product as better than other products. The International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) created an infographic…

Mary Ellen Sanders
Mary Ellen Sanders is a consultant in the area of probiotic microbiology, with special expertise on paths to scientific substantiation of probiotic product label claims. Dr. Sanders served as the founding president of the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) and is currently the organization’s Director of Scientific Affairs/ Executive Officer. This international, non-profit association of academic and industrial scientists is dedicated to advancing the science of probiotics and prebiotics (www.isapp.net). Through numerous written, oral and video pieces, including a website, www.usprobiotics.org, she strives to provide objective, evidence-based information on probiotics for consumers and professionals. Key activities include: Panels to determine GRAS status of probiotic strains ; member of the American Gastroenterological Association Scientific Advisory Board for AGA Center for Gut Microbiome Research and Education ; World Gastroenterology Organisation Committee preparing practice guidelines for the use of probiotics and prebiotics for GI indications (2008, 2011, 2014) ; working group convened by the FAO/WHO that developed guidelines for probiotics (2002).

The prevalence of obesity and related metabolic conditions is increasing worldwide and has become a major public health issue. Recent research has highlighted the gut microbiome's contribution to the development of non-communicable diseases, although little is known about underlying mechanisms and causal relationships. A new study led by Prof. Harry Sokol, a gastroenterologist and researcher from the French National Institute…

Andreu Prados
Andreu Prados holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Pharmacy & Human Nutrition and Dietetics. Science writer specialised in gut microbiota and probiotics, working also as lecturer and consultant in nutrition and healthcare. Follow Andreu on Twitter @andreuprados

The prevalence of obesity and related metabolic conditions is increasing worldwide and has become a major public health issue. Recent research has highlighted the gut microbiome's contribution to the development of non-communicable diseases, although little is known about underlying mechanisms and causal relationships. A new study led by Prof. Harry Sokol, a gastroenterologist and researcher from the French National Institute…

Andreu Prados
Andreu Prados holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Pharmacy & Human Nutrition and Dietetics. Science writer specialised in gut microbiota and probiotics, working also as lecturer and consultant in nutrition and healthcare. Follow Andreu on Twitter @andreuprados

Patients with gastrointestinal diseases often experience symptoms (diarrhea, constipation, abdominal pain, bloating) that worsen after a meal. They draw linkages between what they eat and negative consequences for their well-being. In an attempt to self-manage, patients often end up removing foods from their diet that are needed for nutritional health. They turn to their medical practitioners for information and support…

Andrea Hardy
Registered Dietitian, Andrea Hardy from Calgary, Canada specializes in gastrointestinal disorders and the gut microbiome. She is recognized as Canada’s gut health dietitian – educating health care professionals and the public on the pivotal role nutrition plays in gut health. You can find her at Ignite Nutrition, or on Twitter (@AndreaHardyRD).

Patients with gastrointestinal diseases often experience symptoms (diarrhea, constipation, abdominal pain, bloating) that worsen after a meal. They draw linkages between what they eat and negative consequences for their well-being. In an attempt to self-manage, patients often end up removing foods from their diet that are needed for nutritional health. They turn to their medical practitioners for information and support…

Andrea Hardy
Registered Dietitian, Andrea Hardy from Calgary, Canada specializes in gastrointestinal disorders and the gut microbiome. She is recognized as Canada’s gut health dietitian – educating health care professionals and the public on the pivotal role nutrition plays in gut health. You can find her at Ignite Nutrition, or on Twitter (@AndreaHardyRD).

Previous experimental research has found that metabolomics can be used to monitor the impact of host diet on gut microbiota functionality. These data suggest that focusing on gut microbiota functionality may allow for a better characterization of the gut microbiota and its interaction with the host than only studying its composition. A new study, led by Dr. Tim Spector and…

Andreu Prados
Andreu Prados holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Pharmacy & Human Nutrition and Dietetics. Science writer specialised in gut microbiota and probiotics, working also as lecturer and consultant in nutrition and healthcare. Follow Andreu on Twitter @andreuprados

Previous experimental research has found that metabolomics can be used to monitor the impact of host diet on gut microbiota functionality. These data suggest that focusing on gut microbiota functionality may allow for a better characterization of the gut microbiota and its interaction with the host than only studying its composition. A new study, led by Dr. Tim Spector and…

Andreu Prados
Andreu Prados holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Pharmacy & Human Nutrition and Dietetics. Science writer specialised in gut microbiota and probiotics, working also as lecturer and consultant in nutrition and healthcare. Follow Andreu on Twitter @andreuprados