Urinary tract infections (UTIs) can be hard to shake. The chance of recurrence after the first episode in healthy 18–29 year-old women has been reported as 24%. Unfortunately, the traditional treatment of antibiotics may cause resistance. For this reason, other therapies are being explored. Microbial Shift in UTIs First indication: Studies of the urinary microbiota […]
Microbiome Environment
Probiotics Take Oral Exams
Oral cavities are swarming with microbes—some beneficial and some harmful. In the latter group is the notorious salivary mutans streptococcus (S. mutans). This bacterium causes dental caries or cavities. With healthy diets, regular check-ups, cleanings, flossing and fluoride treatments, we try to safeguard our teeth. Probiotics may offer additional protection. Probiotics and dental caries Probiotics […]
A New Look at Prebiotic Fibers
Dietary fibers shape the gut microbiota. These prebiotics determine microbial structure and function; we truly are what we eat. Targeted Approach to Health Recently, researchers delved into how specific fibers may define the microbial picture in human guts. This targeted approach has potential therapeutic value as manipulation of microbes may help in management of several […]
Microbes and Sleep Get Cozy
Poor sleep can have serious consequences including diabetes, cancer and heart disease. Microbes too can influence health via neural, hormonal and immune responses, as well as gut and blood-brain barrier permeability. Recent evidence suggests that the gut microbiome and sleep quality are entwined. In new research, scientists in China mimicked sleep shifts typical of circadian […]
Additives May Change Gut Microbes
Our gut microbes are under siege. For starters, they flourish on fiber yet sugar and fat are more likely to be on our plates. Perhaps even more unpalatable is the onslaught of additives, artificial sweeteners and domestic hygiene products—chemicals mostly introduced in the last century. While food processing can protect from some infectious diseases, the […]
Gut Feeling: More than a Hunch
The gut microbiome has an intriguing relationship to mental health. Communication along the gut-brain axis is strongly implicated in depression and anxiety in animal models. Attempts to replicate rodent study outcomes in humans are encouraging. In one study, a strain of bifidobacterium which was able to normalize anxiety-like behavior in mice went on to show […]