Global gut health experts guide growth of synbiotics

The consensus report, published in Nature Reviews: Gastroenterology & Hepatology, is expected to serve as the definitive reference in the development of new synbiotic products.

"Synbiotics are starting to gain traction in the marketplace, but there's a lot of confusion around the term, even among scientists," says Kelly Swanson, consensus panel chair and professor in the Department of Animal Sciences at Illinois. "The panel's main goal was to clarify what synbiotics are and provide guidance for future research and innovation."

 An awareness of the importance of the gut–brain axis in psychiatric disorders such as depression is increasing. The gut microbiome is a key component of this axis. Gut bacteria can communicate with the brain through a variety of pathways including the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis, immune modulation, tryptophan metabolism and the production of various neuroactive compounds.  

  Scientists have found that vitamin D is crucial to activating our immune defenses and that without sufficient intake of the vitamin - the killer cells of the immune system -- T cells -- will not be able to react to and fight off serious infections in the body. The research team found that T cells first search for vitamin D in order to activate and if they cannot find enough of it will not complete the activation process. 

 The liver is a hub for removing toxins from the blood and plays an important role in the body's processes for converting food into energy. Since it is "downstream" of the gastrointestinal tract in the digestive process, it makes sense that the composition of bacteria in the gut could affect the functioning of the liver. 

 American Society for MicrobiologySummary:Supplementation with probiotics can improve a person's gut health, but the benefits are often fleeting, and colonization by the probiotic's good microbes usually doesn't last. Breast milk may help sustain those colonies in the long run, say researchers. 

 Another strategy: ease up on fertilizer.

"Many countries have high yields because from 1960 until now they have been using more and more fertilizer," he said. "But recent research has shown that almost all of these countries are actually using much more than they need to attain the yield they have." A drop of roughly 30% in fertilizer use would not only save the farmer money for the same yield, it prevents the release of nitrous oxide that occurs when excess fertilizer goes unused.

 B vitamins-B-6, B-12 and folate-all nourish the brain. But much remains to be discovered about the relation between these essential nutrients and our brainpower. 

 Severe deficiency of the vitamins and minerals required for life is relatively uncommon in developed nations, but modest deficiency is very common and often not taken seriously. New research, however, may change this thinking as it examines moderate selenium and vitamin K deficiency to show how damage accumulates over time as a result of vitamin and mineral loss, leading to age-related diseases. 

 A new research discovery published in the January 2010 print issue of the FASEB Journal suggests that treatments for disorders that cause accelerated aging, particularly Werner's syndrome, might come straight from the family medicine chest. In the research report, a team of Canadian scientists shows that vitamin C stops and even reverses accelerated aging in a mouse model of Werner's syndrome, but the discovery may also be applicable to other progeroid syndromes. 

  "Our immune system is needed for a healthy body function and protects us from all kinds of infections. Particularly important in this respect are T cells, and specifically regulatory T cells. Although these represent only a small fraction of all T cells, they are crucial to keep our immune system in check" explains Prof Brenner. "If regulatory T cells are not functional, the immune system gets out of control and turns against its own body.   

  Scientists have found that volunteers who followed a low-calorie diet or a very low-calorie diet not only lost weight, but also significantly enhanced their immune response. The study may be the first to demonstrate the interaction between calorie restriction and immune markers among humans.  

  The analysis, published in the international journal Exercise Immunology Review, involving leading physiologists Dr James Turner and Dr John Campbell from the University of Bath's Department for Health, considers the effect of exercise on our immune function. 

  Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK , yet we still don't know all of its causes. The largest ever study to use genetics as a measurement for physical activity to look at its effect on prostate cancer, reveals that being more active reduces the risk of prostate cancer. Over 140,000 men were included in the study, of which, 80,000 had prostate cancer. 

  Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia. Still incurable, it directly affects nearly one million people in Europe, and indirectly millions of family members as well as society as a whole. In recent years, the scientific community has suspected that the gut microbiota plays a role in the development of the disease.  

 Obesity and type 2 diabetes can increase the risk of contracting cancer, but making dietary changes could have a big impact 

  Hospitals need to understand that good food is medicine.

PRUE LEITH

  Diabetes in older adults is a growing public health burden. The unprecedented aging of the world's population is a major contributor to the diabetes epidemic, and older adults represent one of the fastest growing segments of the diabetes population. Of impending concern is that these numbers are projected to grow dramatically over the next few decades  

 Across a broad range of indicators, men report poorer health than women. In 2000, diabetes mellitus was ranked as the sixth leading cause of death among men in the United States.

 Researchers postulate that a complex set of causal and interrelated sex-specific factors contribute to this high rate of mortality. These sex-specific factors include socioeconomic status (e.g., poverty), poor personal health practices,  deconstructive norms of masculinity (e.g., invincibility), 3maladaptive stress management skills,  and inadequate health care–seeking behaviors.

 The condition can lead to erectile dysfunction, genital thrush, and loss of muscle mass. This article explores the differences between diabetes symptoms in men and women.

Find out more

Depending on the type of treatment regimen you use to control your diabetes, there are some vitamins and minerals that may be beneficial for your condition.

Before adding any vitamins or adding dietary supplements to your daily diet, discuss these changes with your healthcare team and doctor to ensure they are safe alongside any prescribed medication you’re on.

Researchers studied the effects of a 12-week exercise regimen on 148 active-duty Air Force airmen, half of whom also received a twice-daily nutrient beverage that included protein; the omega-3 fatty acid, DHA; lutein; phospholipids; vitamin D; B vitamins and other micronutrients; along with a muscle-promoting compound known as HMB. Both groups improved in physical and cognitive function, with added gains among those who regularly consumed the nutritional beverage, the team reports.

The findings appear in the journal Scientific Reports. 

Their study, published today in the journal Alzheimer's & Dementia: Translational Research & Clinical Interventions, reports that elderly Japanese men and women who produce equol -- a metabolite of dietary soy created by certain types of gut bacteria -- display lower levels of white matter lesions within the brain. 

    Diets high in red and processed meat, refined grains and sugary beverages, which have been associated with increased inflammation in the body, can increase subsequent risk of heart disease and stroke compared to diets filled with anti-inflammatory foods according to a study published today in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. A separate JACC study assessed the positive effects eating walnuts, an anti-inflammatory food, had on decreasing inflammation and heart disease risk.  

       An antibody for treating advanced prostate cancer improves progression-free survival in patients with metastasised, castration-resistant prostate cancer. This is the finding of the long-term analyses of an international phase 3 clinical trial, recently published in the leading journal European Urology. The study showed that overall survival was 2 -- 3 times higher than in the placebo arm 

      In most parts of the world, health outcomes among boys and men continue to be substantially worse than among girls and women, yet this gender-based disparity in health has received little national, regional or global acknowledgement or attention from health policy-makers or health-care providers. Including both women and men in efforts to reduce gender inequalities in health as part of the post-2015 sustainable development agenda would improve everyone’s health and well-being. 

Heart health

Diseases of the heart and circulation (cardiovascular disease, CVD) pose a significant threat to our health. For men, a particular type of CVD called coronary heart disease is the main cause of death in the UK. It’s caused by a build-up of fatty deposits in the vessels (arteries) that supply blood to your heart.

     Medical experts maintain that several dietary supplements and vitamins are considered an important part of a brain-healthy diet. One such expert, Dr. Richard Isaacson, Harvard-trained neurologist and author of the book, “Alzheimer’s Treatment, Alzheimer’s Prevention,” recommends several supplements for your brain

    The Global Council on Brain Health (GCBH) examined the state of science on the impact diet has on brain health in adults age 50 and older. GCBH experts carefully considered what can be confidently concluded about whether and how dietary patterns and food choices influence brain health. The new report provides specific recommendations on which foods to encourage, include or limit in adults’ diets. The GCBH gives people 12 practical tips to incorporate healthy eating habits to help maintain brain health.   

       It has long been suspected that the relative abundance of specific nutrients can affect cognitive processes and emotions. Newly described influences of dietary factors on neuronal function and synaptic plasticity have revealed some of the vital mechanisms that are responsible for the action of diet on brain health and mental function. Several gut hormones that can enter the brain, or that are produced in the brain itself, influence cognitive ability.    

   But sleep is only part of the equation when it comes to the body clock. Food plays a role too.

"In very crude terms, there are two sets of processes that need to go on in a cell," says Gary Wittert, an endocrinologist and professor of medicine at the University of Adelaide.

"Cells need to take up nutrients and process them for energy to fuel the work that the cell needs to do. And then the other half of the day, which is night for us, is for growth and repair." 

  A recent report in the journal Neurology found that a diet containing approximately one serving of green leafy vegetables per day is associated with slower age-related cognitive decline. 

 “Through this protein, the liver is responding to physical activity and telling the old brain to get young,” Villeda says. “This is a remarkable example of liver-to-brain communication that, to the best of our knowledge, no one knew existed.” 

 Every brain changes with age, and mental function changes along with it. Mental decline is common, and it's one of the most feared consequences of aging. But cognitive impairment is not inevitable. Here are 12 ways you can help maintain brain function 

        The study published today (Monday, 15th June 2020) in the British Journal of Nutrition, forms part of the largest representative study of its kind conducted among older persons. 

A new study challenges claims from some international scientific circles, that having high blood levels of folate (folic acid) increases the risk of poor cognition in older adults, especially in those with low levels of vitamin B12. On the contrary the study found that having higher folate seemed to be associated with better cognitive function in these older adults. 

      People with endocrine disorders may see their condition worsen as a result of COVID-19, according to a new review published in the Journal of the Endocrine Society. 

     Cambridge scientists have developed a new way to fortify shellfish to tackle human nutrient deficiencies which cause severe health problems across the world. The team is now working with major seafood manufacturers to further test their microencapsulation technology, or ''Vitamin Bullets''. 

     A research group has now developed a hypothesis whereby iron deposits in the brain -- resulting from alcohol-induced vitamin B1 deficiency -- can be regarded as key factors in cognitive decline. 

    Researchers develops drug approach against bacterial infections

   A recent study shows that cold ambient temperatures increase vitamin A levels in humans and mice. This helps convert 'bad' white adipose tissue into 'good' brown adipose tissue which stimulates fat burning and heat generation.  

  Mr. Glenn kept fit partly through what a friend called high-speed golf. He pulled his own cart. He took vitamins, managed without coffee and drank very little alcohol. 

 Consuming plenty of tea, apples and cocoa could be as effective as the Mediterranean diet in reducing blood pressure and protecting against heart disease, a study suggests.

 Before COVID-19 hit, obesity and overweight were linked to an estimated 5 million deaths per year worldwide. Now, obesity and overweight seem to have worsened the threat of COVID-19, which has killed approximately 1,119,268 people around the world as of October 13, 2020. 

POOR NUTRITION AND PREVENTABLE CHORNIC DISEASE

 Good nutrition is essential for keeping populations healthy across the lifespan. A healthy diet helps children grow and develop properly and reduces their risk of chronic diseases, including obesity. Adults who eat a healthy diet live longer and have a lower risk of obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers. Healthy eating can help people with chronic diseases manage these conditions and prevent complications. 

  And, because the capsules used in the trial contain only natural food products, they should reach shop shelves much quicker than a synthetic drug would once approved. “Instead of spending 20 years doing efficacy and safety and toxicology with a synthetic drug, we're able to get something onto the market, hopefully much faster than that.”

“I don't really see that many downsides. Obviously, it's not a miracle, there's no such thing. But if people can lose about 13 per cent of their weight, that's going from a Body Mass Index (BMI) of obese to a BMI of overweight, which reduces your chances of colon cancer by 20 times. That's a very significant saving for the NHS, and it saves lives.”

      While the latest research suggests that antibodies against Covid-19 could be lost in just three months, a new hope has appeared on the horizon: the enigmatic T cell. BBC

     Contrary to prior understanding, many hormones related to spermatogenesis take longer to recover than previously thought, and up to 3 years in some cases after anabolic steroid misuse, according to a fertility expert speaking at the Royal Society of Medicine webinar series. 

   During South Africa’s strict lockdown, groups of activists decided to distribute parcels of vegetables as wells as seedlings and gardening materials as well as to hundreds of vulnerable households

 Learning from success: What’s working in the fight against malnutrition?

 The food we eat gives our bodies the "information" and materials they need to function properly. If we don't get the right information, our metabolic processes suffer and our health declines. 

     Good nutrition is an essential part of an individual’s defence against Covid-19. Nutritional resilience is a key element of a society’s readiness to combat the threat. Focusing on nutritional well-being provides opportunities for establishing synergies between public health and equity, in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. 

    On a national level, a study of nearly 4,500 low-income adults found that participation in SNAP, the much-debated food stamp program, was associated with $1,400 less in annual health expenditures. 

 Chronic Care Act that gives these Medicare programs the flexibility to invest in nontraditional services like food 

   Evidence suggests that neglecting the importance of adequate nutrition in chronically ill patients has far-reaching implications on the health status of the individual and the health care costs. 

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