Digestion News and Research

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Digestion is the mechanical and chemical breaking down of food into smaller components, to a form that can be absorbed, for instance, into a blood stream. Digestion is a form of catabolism; a break-down of macro food molecules to smaller ones.

Evening chronotype links later eating with higher body fat

Research shows evening chronotypes in women consume more energy later, leading to higher body fat and metabolic issues, highlighting chrono-nutrition's role.

16 Jul 2026

Bile acid buildup linked to aggressive breast cancer progression

A buildup of bile acids caused by an unhealthy gut can drive breast cancer to other parts of the body, new University of Virginia Comprehensive Cancer Center research reveals.

15 Jul 2026

Study reveals how manufacturing methods affect herbal medicine potency

In a study published in Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy, the researchers used MIR2911, a plant microRNA enriched in honeysuckle, as a proof-of-concept example.

3 Jul 2026

Natural microbial compound helps protect the gut from chronic inflammation

University of Louisville researchers have discovered how a naturally occurring microbial compound may help protect the gut and support future treatment strategies for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

24 Jun 2026

Synthetic gut communities reveal how diet rewires the microbiome

Synthetic microbial communities give researchers controlled models for testing how diet reshapes gut microbial ecology, metabolism, and host-relevant responses. The review highlights how SynComs can strengthen causal inference, improve intervention testing, and support future precision nutrition, while noting major challenges in stability, standardization, and ecological realism.

21 Jun 2026

Short-chain oat fiber helps steady glucose and ease gut symptoms in pilot trial

A 14-day open-label pilot study in 63 healthy adults found that short-chain oat fiber was well tolerated at doses up to 20 g/day and was associated with improved gastrointestinal symptom scores.

14 Jun 2026

Western diet weakens the gut’s nervous system through iron-dependent damage

A JCI study found that exposure to a Western diet in mice and to palmitic acid in murine and ex vivo human enteric nervous system models triggered ferroptosis, characterized by iron loading, lipid peroxidation, mitochondrial stress, and enteric neuronal loss. Boosting Nrf2 signaling protected enteric neurons and prevented Western diet-induced delayed colonic transit in mice, pointing to a potential pathway linking dietary fat exposure to gut motility dysfunction.

10 Jun 2026

Plant-based quinoa burgers reduce post-meal blood sugar spikes

A study reveals that plant-based burgers with baru pulp and red quinoa trigger lower blood sugar spikes than glucose, highlighting their potential in nutrition.

10 Jun 2026

The best meal timing for blood sugar may be earlier dinners

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9 Jun 2026

Children facing food insecurity show distinct gut microbiomes

Food insecurity may leave a measurable biological signature in the gut microbiome of children, according to new research presented at ASM Microbe 2026.

7 Jun 2026

Simple probiotic may treat acid reflux and prevent cancer

Patients with acid reflux, which occurs when stomach acid pushes up into the esophagus, know the symptoms all too well: heartburn, belching, chest pain and trouble swallowing.

3 Jun 2026

Genetic testing identifies cause of pancreatic agenesis in infants

The DNA changes responsible for a rare genetic condition causing babies to be born without a pancreas can now be identified in almost all affected children through genetic testing.

1 Jun 2026

How common spices may improve gut, brain, and metabolic health

The health effects of spices are explored, revealing their potential to influence blood sugar, inflammation, and brain function through various mechanisms.

28 May 2026

How do everyday spices help protect the heart?

A Nutrition Reviews supplement article reviewed controlled studies showing that culinary spice and herb blends may improve selected cardiometabolic risk markers, including post-meal triglycerides, insulin responses, inflammation, endothelial function, and 24-hour blood pressure. The review also highlighted exploratory evidence that spices and herbs may influence immune-cell activity, circulating phytochemical metabolites, and gut bacterial composition, while emphasizing the need for longer and more diverse studies.

27 May 2026

New mathematical model tracks microbial contribution to human digestion

Food labels make calories seem simple. They show the number of calories per serving, which is calculated based on how much fat, carbohydrates and protein the food contains.

27 May 2026

Aging immune system may destabilize the gut microbiome balance

Why does the gut microbiome lose its balance as we age? Researchers at the Leibniz Institute on Aging - Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI) in Jena now present a new explanation in a paper published in "PLoS Biology".

27 May 2026

Minimal exposure to modern medicine rapidly alters the human microbiome

Even minimal exposure to modern medicine can rapidly change the human microbiome. In a new study publishing May 20 in the Cell Press journal Cell Reports, researchers reveal that the gut microbes of remote Amazonian Indigenous communities began shifting toward patterns more commonly seen in urban, industrialized populations after only a few medical visits.

20 May 2026

Body weight and genes directly alter gut microbiota composition

Your body weight and genes influence the types of bacteria you have in your gut. In turn, this appears to affect the risk of developing conditions such as coeliac disease and haemorrhoids.

18 May 2026

How exercise influences cancer cell viability

This interview uncovers how exercise may reduce cancer cell viability, with insights into adipose interactions and innovative 3D culture systems.

From Promega Corporation 15 May 2026

Can supplements slow Parkinson’s disease? Review reveals where the evidence stands

Dietary supplements are widely used by people with Parkinson’s disease, but this review finds that none have yet been proven to slow disease progression. Biotics, nicotinamide riboside, and omega-3 fatty acids combined with vitamin E show the most promise, but larger, longer, and better-designed trials are needed.

14 May 2026