Constipation

Fermented Foods

Immunity

Fibre

Does our gut microbiota affect our metabolic response?

17/07/2020 Not only can our diet influence our gut microbiota, but our gut microbiota can also influence our metabolic response to the foods we eat. Data from the PREDICT study shows that there is high variability between individuals and our gut microbiota can contribute for up to 7.5% of this variance.

Diverticular Disease

Gut-lung cross-talk: the gut microbiota in COVID-19

25/06/2020 Research shows there is a relationship between our gut and lungs, perhaps mediated via the gut microbiota and its effect on the immune system. Some reports found that 1/3 of COVID-19 patients report adverse gastrointestinal symptoms. Current research is exploring the efficacy of therapies that target the gut microbiota for respiratory infections, including COVID-19.

Safety

The Gut Microbiota & Mental Health

15/05/2020 Looking after our mental health has never been more important, so we wanted to support & raise awareness of this years’ Mental Health Awareness Week (18-24^th May 2020) by exploring some of the latest research into the gut microbiota & mental health.

Could a faecal transplant help with IBS?

25/06/2020 A new study by Lahtinen and colleagues has revealed that, although faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) may provide some short-term relief of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms, it cannot currently be considered as a recommendation in the treatment of IBS in clinical practice. However, there is justification for more research within this area due to some interesting and positive secondary findings of this study. 

Survival

Modulation

When it comes to probiotic strains, is more better?

25/06/2020 Many assume that multi-strain probiotics are more effective than single-strain probiotics. However, in a recent review using a novel study design, which only included randomised-controlled trials using a single strain and at least one trial using the same single strain combined within a multi-strain mixture, found that, in general, the effects of single- and multi-strain probiotics are comparable. 

What role does diet have on the gut microbiota?

17/07/2020 The food that we eat has a profound effect on the composition and function of our gut microbiota. High-fibre diets have been associated with a more diverse gut microbiota and increased short chain fatty acid production whereas, a high fat, high sugar diet is associated with a decreased diversity.

How Japan care for their ageing population

20/04/2020 In November last year, Sophie Murray - Head of Nutrition and Hydration for Sunrise Senior Living, joined us on a trip to Tokyo, Japan to learn about the healthy-ageing Japanese population. Here, she shares her account with us.

Does our gender affect our gut microbiota?

20/04/2020 Research suggests that gender may be an influential factor in shaping the composition of both human and animal gut microbiota throughout life.

Exploring the oral microbiota

15/05/2020 Join us at the start of our gastrointestinal tract as we explore the oral microbiota. We look at how this community of microorganisms develops, why it is important for human health, and the factors that can influence what lives there.

The gut microbiota and sleep

20/04/2020 Poor sleep quality may be associated with having a less diverse gut microbiota, possibly linked to levels of the inflammatory marker IL-6. Furthermore, dietary strategies that module the gut microbiota could improve sleep quality in healthy people under acute stress.

The fate of probiotics through the gut

25/08/2020 Survival through the gastrointestinal tract, at a physiologically relevant concentration, is one of the key characteristics of a probiotic. Researchers have explored what happens to the viability of two lactic acid bacteria delivered in fermented milk, L. casei Shirota and B. breve strain Yakult, after ingestion.

Suggested criteria for using the term ‘probiotic’

25/08/2020 Although the term ‘probiotic’ was defined almost twenty years ago, its broad nature has meant the regulations surrounding probiotics can cause confusion. Dr Bruno Pot, Science Director at Yakult Europe, shares some recent publications to help explain the criteria needed for probiotics that are intended to be used in foods or food supplements and those that are designated as medicinal products.