Probiotics News and Research

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Antibiotic usage, infections may contribute to manic episodes in people with mental disorders

In research using patient medical records, investigators from Johns Hopkins and Sheppard Pratt Health System report that people with serious mental disorders who were hospitalized for mania were more likely to be on antibiotics to treat active infections than a group of people without a mental disorder.

20 Jul 2016

Taking probiotics can reduce body weight and BMI

Consuming probiotics, so-called 'good bacteria', can reduce body weight and body mass index (BMI) according to a new meta-analysis published in the International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition.

11 Jul 2016

Treatment for IBS proves difficult, survey reveals

A new national survey by Health Union of more than 1,000 individuals with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) reveals that the condition is difficult to diagnose and often even more difficult to treat.

29 Jun 2016

Allergy-causing immune cells play life-saving role in deadly C. difficile infection

Researchers at the University of Virginia School of Medicine have identified immune cells vital for protecting us from potentially fatal C. difficile infection. Surprisingly, those cells are often vilified for their role in causing asthma and allergies. But when it comes to C. difficile, they could be the difference in life and death.

29 Jun 2016

Scientists detect biological markers of chronic fatigue syndrome in gut bacteria

Physicians have been mystified by chronic fatigue syndrome, a condition where normal exertion leads to debilitating fatigue that isn't alleviated by rest. There are no known triggers, and diagnosis requires lengthy tests administered by an expert.

28 Jun 2016

Novel suite of computer algorithms can accurately predict behavior of gut microbiome

A team of investigators from Brigham and Women's Hospital and the University of Massachusetts have developed a suite of computer algorithms that can accurately predict the behavior of the microbiome - the vast collection of microbes living on and inside the human body.

28 Jun 2016

Health-promoting bacteria may protect women from breast cancer

Bacteria that have the potential to abet breast cancer are present in the breasts of cancer patients, while beneficial bacteria are more abundant in healthy breasts, where they may actually be protecting women from cancer, according to Gregor Reid, PhD, and his collaborators.

25 Jun 2016

Composition of microbiota plays significant role in body's ability to accept transplanted tissue

Researchers from the University of Chicago have shown that microbiota—the bacteria, viruses and other microbes living on the skin and in the digestive system—play an important role in the body's ability to accept transplanted skin and other organs.

22 Jun 2016

High fibre diet can help reduce food allergies

Eating a diet rich in fibre can actually shape the immune system to reduce allergies to substances such as peanuts, new research shows.

21 Jun 2016

Absence of one specific species of gut bacteria causes autism-related social deficits in mice

The absence of one specific species of gut bacteria causes social deficits in mice, researchers at Baylor College of Medicine report June 16 in Cell. By adding this bacterial species back to the guts of affected mice, the researchers were able to reverse some of the mice's behavioral deficits, which are reminiscent of symptoms of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) in humans.

17 Jun 2016

Changes in intestinal microbiota linked to primary sclerosing cholangitis

Primary sclerosing cholangitis, also known as PSC, is a liver disease with no effective medical treatment. Liver transplantation is the only proven long-term treatment of PSC, although only a fraction of individuals with PSC will ultimately require it.

23 May 2016

Could worm infection counter IBD? An interview with Dr Loke and Dr Cadwell

The hygiene hypothesis refers to the idea that decreased exposure to certain infectious agents (because of better hygiene) is the reason why we have seen an increase in inflammatory diseases in the developed world.

17 May 2016

Human gut model HuMiX represents actual conditions, processes that occur within intestines

One of the most complex human organs is the digestive tract: Here, the body comes into contact with all manner of diet-derived compounds and with countless bacteria.

11 May 2016

Caltech researchers discover new potential cause for Crohn's disease

The community of beneficial bacteria that live in our intestines, known as the gut microbiome, are important for the development and function of the immune system. There has been growing evidence that certain probiotics--therapies that introduce beneficial bacteria into the gut--may help alleviate some of the symptoms of intestinal disorders such as Crohn's disease.

10 May 2016

UA researchers one step closer to preventing asthma in children

Efforts to improve the health of children at increased risk for asthma will receive a major boost with the launch of a new University of Arizona Health Sciences-led, federally funded national clinical study. For Fernando D. Martinez, MD, and his colleagues at the UA Asthma and Airway Disease Research Center, this study follows 30 years of research to prevent and cure this chronic disease.

6 May 2016

ITJ researchers develop new hydrating beverage for athletes

Jiquiquilpan's Institute of Technology in Mexico developed a hydrating beverage for athletes that is based on agave's fructans, that not only supplies the adequate water levels to the organisms, but also offers other benefits such as dietetic fiber.

5 May 2016

Probiotic supplements may help treat post-menopausal osteoporosis

Probiotic supplements protected female mice from the loss of bone density that occurs after having their ovaries removed, researchers at Emory University School of Medicine and Georgia State University have shown.

28 Apr 2016

Researchers find strong possibility of preventing, curing neurological conditions using gut bacteria

Could bacteria in your gut be used to cure or prevent neurological conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety or even depression? Two researchers sponsored by the Office of Naval Research (ONR) think that's a strong possibility.

26 Apr 2016

Modulation of estrobolome may help lower breast cancer risk

Investigating disparities in the composition of the estrobolome, the gut bacterial genes capable of metabolizing estrogens in both healthy individuals and in women diagnosed with estrogen-driven breast cancer may lead to the development of microbiome-based biomarkers that could help mitigate the risk of certain cancers, according to a review paper published April 22 in the JNCI: Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

25 Apr 2016

Intestinal bacteria can be used to reduce cancer risk, reveals UCLA study

Researchers have shown that various types of intestinal bacteria might be factors in both causing and preventing obesity, and in other conditions and diseases. Now, a UCLA study suggests that it could also potentially be used to reduce the risk for some types of cancer.

16 Apr 2016