Plumpy’ Nut may have a silly name but its mission—to feed malnourished children—is deadly serious. This ready to use therapeutic food (RUTF in aid circles) made of milk powder, sugar, oil, peanut paste, vitamins and minerals along with locally made mixtures has succeeded in reducing deaths in children with severe acute malnutrition (SAM) in poor countries. Immature Microbes Linger after … Read More
Dr. Erika Isolauri Talks Child Health at Harvard Probiotics Symposium
“For child health, I have learned, the mother is the person to treat. The healthier the mother, the better the child’s well-being.” Dr. Erika Isolauri, MD, PhD, Professor of Pediatrics at University of Turku has researched the microbiota from her lab in Finland for long enough to earn the soundbite. With over 440 scientific publications to her name, she spoke … Read More
Harvard Symposium 2018: IPA Reports from Boston
Every two years, this two-day symposium invites top researchers from across the globe to share current evidence from the probiotic space. Harvard Symposium 2018 focused on gut microbes and probiotics and their impact on health throughout life. Specific periods addressed include pregnancy, infancy, childhood, adulthood, and older adults. The program was held October 10-11 in Boston at Harvard Medical School. … Read More
IPA Heads to Harvard
IPA is excited to be attending “Gut Health, Microbiota & Probiotics throughout the Lifespan: Dietary Influences” at Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts this week. The two-day symposium invites top researchers from across the globe to share current evidence related to gut microbes and probiotics and their impact on health throughout life. Specific periods addressed include pregnancy, infancy, childhood, adulthood, … Read More
IPA Bets Big on SupplySide West in Las Vegas Nov 6-10
Strategy meets science as more than 16,000 ingredient buyers and suppliers from a wide-range of industries gather at SupplySide West this November. Leaders in dietary supplement, beverage, functional food, personal care and sports nutrition will share expertise in product development for the global economy. Over 1,300 exhibitors and 140 hours of educational and conference programming will spotlight new trends. Held at the beautiful … Read More
C. diff Has Secret Weapon Against Healthy Bacteria
Clostridium difficile (C.diff) moves in when antibiotics kill off other pathogens. Infection with this pathogen (CDI) causes most of the diarrheal outbreaks linked with antibiotic therapy. Unfortunately these are not quick bouts in the bathroom; CDI can cause dangerous weight loss and malnutrition in a short time period. Many thousands die even when treated. C.diff is formidable, armored with spores, … Read More
A Look at Dysbiosis in Lung Cancer
When healthy, lungs make breathing look easy. Behind the scenes, the vital exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide runs along 1500 miles of alveoli, a microscopic metro that runs on perfect time. But lungs can be derailed by many diseases and disorders: pneumonia, bronchitis, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema, cancer as well as congenital disorders including cystic fibrosis. … Read More
In Fecal Transplants, Not All Poop is Created Equal
There’s nothing like a poop story to get the juvenile juices flowing. Crowding a Twitter and RSS feed recently were numerous alerts to a diaper pail full of baby poop headlines: Kardashian-like catnip for the health-minded. A PubMed search (not all blogs had links) led to an interesting piece of research from Wake Forest School of Medicine in North Carolina, … Read More
Aging Microbiomes: A New Wrinkle for the Elderly
Expect to live at least a few decades longer than your ancestors born a century ago. That’s the good news. Unfortunately, not all of those bonus years promise the joys of good health. Aging bodies and minds are much more susceptible to disease. Aging changes are inevitable and built into the DNA of every cell. The immune system weakens in aging, … Read More
Microbes Need Care in the ICU
While often life-saving, hospitals can be dangerous to your health. Exposed to infections, lack of sleep and poor nutrition, patients may spiral down into the intensive care unit (ICU) where two critical illnesses are common: sepsis and acute respiratory failure. A role for microbes Microbes are emerging as key players in the genesis, advance and ultimately, the aftermath of critical … Read More