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.
Scientists found an intriguing link between anorexia nervosa and the gut microbiota
27 Nov 2023by Mónica Quinzo
Anorexia nervosa is a common eating disorder in adolescent women, which has no successful treatment. New findings in humans and mice have found new links between an altered gut microbiota, appetite, and regulation of body weight in anorexia nervosa.
Massive -yet distinct to the adult- diversity of the infant gut virome
29 Sep 2023by Konstantina Zafeiropoulou
An international collaboration of scientists identified 248 viral families in nappy samples, 232 of which were never described before. Acknowledged for their contribution, these babies will be forever registered in the virome databases, as the scientists named the new families after their first names.
The microorganisms that live in and on our body have been implicated in a variety of health functions and diseases. Two microbiologists comment on certain common assumptions about the human microbiota, including that it weighs 2 kg and is altered in case of obesity.
Two comprehensive meta-analyses identify factors associated with fecal microbiota transplant success
12 Sep 2023by Andreu Prados
Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) has shown to be efficient in recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection and is being researched in clinical trials for other conditions, but its mechanisms of action remain poorly understood. Two new studies shed light on factors that predict clinical success in FMT.
In vitro fermentation models to study how exogenous factors shape the gut microbiome: applications, pros and cons
22 Aug 2023by Andreu Prados
Studying host-microbe interactions in controlled environments is a major challenge in the field of microbiome research. This article outlines the relevance, pros and cons of intestinal fermentation in in vitro models and provides an overview of their applications in microbiome research.
Dietary fibers, known to regulate intestinal inflammation and gut barrier functions, have been avoided by patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) to avoid flare-ups. However, recent findings suggest that if fiber type, patient immunological condition, and the fermentative ability of the gut microbiota are taken into account, they could be beneficial and prevent relapses.
Differences in the gut microbiota in patients with IBD compared to healthy controls suggest that probiotics may be of help. This article takes an in-depth look into the rationale of using probiotics for IBD and summarizes the evidence from recent clinical guidelines for the use of probiotics in Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis and pouchitis.
Exploring the microbiome with Joël Doré: protecting our microbial world
31 May 2023by GMFH Editing Team
Joël Doré's TEDx talk provides a compelling argument for why we need to pay attention to our gut microbiota and take steps to protect it. Discover the importance of the microbiome for human and planetary health through his fascinating presentation.
What happens in the gut can have an impact on the vaginal microbiota. Now scientists understand why
28 Apr 2023by Andreu Prados
While the most popular microbiota you may have heard about is that of the gut, the vagina has a microbiota too. Find out more about the relationship between the two and why taking care of the gut microbiota matters for the vaginal microbiota.