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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

Research challenges long standing beliefs about cannabis and male hormones

The effects of cannabis on the hormonal system and male fertility remain controversial within the scientific community. A study conducted by the University of Geneva (UNIGE), in collaboration with the Swiss Center for Applied Human Toxicology (SCAHT), provides a new answer by showing that cannabis use does not reduce testosterone levels in young men and may even increase its testicular synthesis.

28 May 2026

Gut microbiota may determine severity of life-threatening sepsis infections

Why do some people recover easily from bacterial infections while others rapidly deteriorate into life-threatening sepsis? According to a new study, the answer may lie not only in the invading pathogen itself, but also in the microorganisms already living inside the gut.

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

Persistent gut microbiome changes linked to sustained colorectal cancer risk

More than a decade after removal of an adenoma-a precancerous mass-from the colon, alterations to the gut microbiome and metabolites remain and may drive heightened risk of colorectal cancer (CRC), according to a new study led by researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

27 May 2026

How the right diet could support the gut bacteria that matter most

This review examines how gut keystone bacteria shape microbiome stability, disease risk, and responses to diet. It highlights why better identification methods, experimental validation, and precision diet-probiotic strategies are needed to restore gut homeostasis.

26 May 2026

Retatrutide reshapes metabolism in obesity and type 2 diabetes, study finds

Retatrutide altered circulating metabolites and lipids linked to fatty acid oxidation and insulin resistance in people with obesity, with or without type 2 diabetes. These biomarker changes suggest improved metabolic health, but the post-hoc analysis remains hypothesis-generating and does not prove direct clinical benefit.

26 May 2026

Urine test may help identify autism risk in children

A simple urine test may help identify children at risk for autism sooner than current assessments - opening the door for earlier diagnosis and treatment, and better long-term outcomes for children who do have autism spectrum disorder.

26 May 2026

Tomato-soy juice curbs inflammation in obese adults

Drinking tomato-soy juice loaded with compounds shown in animal studies to promote health lowered pro-inflammatory proteins in healthy adults with obesity after four weeks, a new study found.

26 May 2026

Study links ceramide levels to prostate cancer drug response differences

Ceramides-lipid molecules in cells that affect many physiological functions including cell differentiation, migration, and death-and their metabolites have been implicated in the development of cancer and other conditions.

26 May 2026

CDC report reveals what 24 years of nutrition biomarkers say about America’s health

The 2026 CDC Nutrition Report will make nearly 24 years of NHANES biomarker data easier to use, covering up to 131 nutritional biomarkers in the US population aged 1 year and older. By standardizing blood and urine biomarker trends, demographic patterns, and comparisons of supplement use, the report aims to support nutrition policy, clinical reference intervals, and public health monitoring.

24 May 2026

Blood carotenoids offer the clearest signal of fruit and vegetable eating habits

The review finds that several candidate biomarkers may help estimate fruit and vegetable intake more objectively than self-reported dietary tools, but most remain limited by specificity, sampling burden, supplement use, or incomplete validation. Blood and skin carotenoids appear strongest for habitual intake, while vitamin C, folate, urinary flavonoids, hippuric acid, and potassium may be more useful for short-term intake or intervention adherence.

24 May 2026

Yoga and meditation show promise for gut health

This systematic review found that yoga and Buddhist meditation were associated with favorable gut microbiota and metabolite profiles in four human studies involving healthy adults. However, because participants largely followed vegetarian or vegan diets and no randomized controlled trials were included, the findings cannot prove that meditation alone reshapes the gut microbiome.

24 May 2026

RNA modifications shape gut immunity and intestinal macrophage function

A new perspective on gut immunity is highlighting the powerful role of RNA modifications in shaping how the body maintains balance in the digestive system.

24 May 2026

Vitamin B12 analog targets deadly brain cancer cells

A new research paper was published in Volume 13 of Oncoscience on April 2, 2026, titled "Selective blood–brain barrier penetration and tumor targeting of nitrosylcobalamin in glioblastoma: Pharmacokinetics, tissue distribution, and synergistic activity with trail and temozolomide."

21 May 2026

Blood protein biomarkers predict psychosis risk in Asian youth

A new study by researchers from NHG Health's Institute of Mental Health (IMH) and Nanyang Technological University, Singapore's (NTU Singapore) Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine (LKCMedicine) has identified blood-based proteomic biomarkers that may help predict who among the at-risk group is at increased risk of developing psychosis.

20 May 2026

Gut microbiome metabolite butyrate relieves chronic jaw joint pain

Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain is associated with disrupted gut microbiome metabolites. Researchers reveal that butyrate, administered as tributyrin, alleviates pain by restoring histone acetylation and reversing gene regulatory changes in the brain.

18 May 2026

Blood metabolite patterns could reveal dementia risk in midlife

Research shows that blood metabolite profiles can indicate dementia risk, offering a potential tool for early detection and prevention of cognitive decline.

18 May 2026

Prenatal chemical mixtures may influence fetal growth and placental health

Common environmental chemicals could affect birthweight and placental function, according to a new study published in Environmental Science & Technology and led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), a centre supported by "la Caixa" Foundation. Conducted within the Barcelona Life Study Cohort (BiSC), the research underscores the importance of considering real-life exposure to complex chemical mixtures and highlights the role of angiogenic biomarkers in linking these exposures to fetal development.

17 May 2026

Stanford scientists map the molecular diversity of different global populations

Researchers at the Stanford School of Medicine have found that ethnicity and geography may influence human molecular makeup - from metabolism and immunity to gut microbiota and biological aging.

14 May 2026