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 […]
Microbiome Environment
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 are available but a bit harder to find. Note that labelling […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]