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
Age of Anxiety Calls for Probiotic Research
With soaring numbers of people taking anxiety-reducing drugs, it is good to remember that anxiety is a highly-valuable defense mechanism evolved over many thousands of years of evolution. Anxiety triggers cortisol release in essential fight-or-flight responses. Ergo, a calm demeanor in the face of real threats may cost life or limb. These days, the mounting stress of digital media, noise, health … Read More
Vegan Alternatives to Yogurt: So Simple to Make at Home
If you want to taste a new yogurt every single day of the year, your supermarket can meet the challenge. Most of this abundance is of the cow’s milk variety. If you prefer a vegan option—for health or personal reasons—yogurt alternatives made from soy milk is available but a bit harder to find. Note that labelling laws in many countries restrict … Read More
Do Microbes Drive Metabolic Improvement after Bariatric Surgery?
Bariatric surgery for severe and morbidly obese (Body Mass Index (BMI) >35–40) brings swift results: dramatically reducing cardiovascular risks and diabetes. Current thinking credits immediate changes in the gut microbiome for the metabolic improvements observed after bariatric surgery. Indeed, research has painted a picture of gut microbes in those suffering from overweight or obesity as well as type 2 … Read More
Sloppy Reporting Undermines Claims of Probiotic Safety
First do no harm. Probiotics appear to be outside the purview of drastic side effects reported for many supplements. No warnings of possible death and dismemberment scroll probiotic labels. Among manufacturers, researchers and clinicians in the industry, probiotics are considered safe. Theoretical risks include systemic infections, deleterious metabolic activities, excessive immune stimulation in susceptible individuals, gene transfer and gastrointestinal side effects. … Read More
Change in Fecal Microbes after a Month of Probiotics
Supplements have always had detractors. “Expensive urine” was what vitamin poppers were said to be making in the early days of mega doses nearly 50 years ago. With the cost of probiotic supplements, it is fair to ask: are we creating costly stool? Many millions of people take probiotic supplements trusting in a benefit to their intestinal colonies. Evidence is … Read More
A Chance to Innovate into Probiotics, Most Expenses Paid, in Amsterdam: Apply Now
Research opportunity for junior microbial scientists Junior researchers wishing to start their career as a microbial scientist might be interested in the Top Talent Program from probiotic manufacturer and researcher Winclove Probiotics. Winclove started the Top Talent initiative to offer young, ambitious researchers the opportunity to build their career as a microbial scientist and at the same time further innovate … Read More
Targeting Obesity through Microbiome: Update
In a world grower fatter by the day (1.9 billion overweight and obese), science is searching for answers to the pandemic. There are no easy ones. Obesity is complicated; genetics, lifestyle and the environment create an imperfect storm inside the body. Recent evidence points to the gut microbiome as one important risk factor. Indeed, the microbiome is rich in possibilities. … Read More
Flow Cytometry as a Potential Method of Measuring Bacterial Viability in Probiotic Products
Flow Cytometry as a Potential Method of Measuring Bacterial Viability in Probiotic Products: A Comprehensive Review Martin G. Wilkinson, University of Limerick, Ireland Presented at Probiota 2018, February 7-9, 2018 in Barcelona, Spain This paper was commissioned by International Probiotics Association The measurement of cell viability in foods has traditionally been carried out by assessing the ability of … Read More