Gastrointestinal Health News and Research

Latest Gastrointestinal Health News and Research

Gut microbes may alter the aging process, study finds

An international research team led by Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) has found that microorganisms living in the gut may alter the aging process, which could lead to the development of food-based treatment to slow it down.

14 Nov 2019

Research shows how bacteria associated with Crohn's disease tolerate antibiotics

Bacteria associated with Crohn's disease rely on multiple stress responses to survive, multiply, and tolerate antibiotics within white blood cells called macrophages, according to a study published November 14 in the open-access journal PLOS Pathogens by Olivier Espéli of the College de France and PSL Research University in Paris, France, and colleagues.

14 Nov 2019

Short-term increases in sugar consumption could raise risk of inflammatory bowel disease

Short-term increases in sugar consumption could increase the risk of inflammatory bowel disease and have a significant impact on our health, a new study out of the University of Alberta suggests.

14 Nov 2019

New insights into how immune system and inflammation play a role in PD

Relatively new research findings indicating that the earliest stages of Parkinson's disease (PD) may occur in the gut have been gaining traction in recent years. In a review published in the Journal of Parkinson's Disease, Tomasz Brudek, PhD, evaluates evidence for the association between inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and PD and proposes directions for future research.

14 Nov 2019

Eradicating H pylori infection significantly reduces gastric cancer risk

While it is well known within the medical community that there is a link between the bacteria Helicobacter pylori (H pylori) and rates of gastric cancer- commonly referred to as stomach cancer-;the rates and risk among Americans has been largely understudied.

14 Nov 2019

Cedars-Sinai surgeons detect and remove 25-pound cancerous ovarian tumor

Maria Robles Garcia was sure her uncomfortable abdominal symptoms weren't caused by irritable bowel syndrome or from being overweight, no matter that her local doctors repeatedly told her that was the case.

13 Nov 2019

Study shows potential of phage therapy to treat alcoholic liver disease

Bacteriophages (phages) are viruses that specifically destroy bacteria. In the early 20th century, researchers experimented with phages as a potential method for treating bacterial infections.

13 Nov 2019

Tulane virus needs intracellular calcium to replicate

Some gastrointestinal viruses need calcium. They need calcium ions to carry out several essential aspects of viral life, such as entry into host cells, genome replication and building new viruses to invade other cells. The cells invaded by viruses also use calcium. They use it as signals to regulate many of the cells' own processes, but viruses can takeover cellular calcium signaling to satisfy their own needs.

13 Nov 2019

Researchers use phage therapy to successfully treat alcoholic liver disease

Researchers have successfully used bacteriophage (phage) therapy to eliminate alcohol-related liver disease in an animal model.

13 Nov 2019

Bacteriophages could treat E. coli without damaging the gut, new study says

Researchers in the US have developed a new therapy that uses a unique bacteriophage to treat E. coli infections.

13 Nov 2019

Popular cancer drug linked to weight gain and increased systolic blood pressure

Regulating gut bacteria could calm chemo side effects, reduce cognitive problems

In a new study, scientists observed several simultaneous reactions in mice given a common chemotherapy drug: Their gut bacteria and tissue changed, their blood and brains showed signs of inflammation, and their behaviors suggested they were fatigued and cognitively impaired.

11 Nov 2019

New recommendations aim to improve outcomes of Parkinson's disease patients

Since the discovery that the gut microbiome may play a role in the development of Parkinson's disease (PD), this fresh scientific approach has produced varying results. In this review published in the Journal of Parkinson's Disease scientists compare results of current research and provide recommendations to increase the comparability and utility of these studies with a view towards improving patient outcomes.

11 Nov 2019

Early intervention in preschool can promote a healthy lifestyle

A unique study conducted in a multi-ethnic, underserved community in New York City shows if young adults are properly taught about heart healthy behaviors and strictly adhere to specific interventions, they may see significant benefits to their cardiovascular health when compared to those who do not have any health education intervention, according to Mount Sinai researchers.

11 Nov 2019

Health education intervention may promote healthier lifestyle in underserved communities

11 Nov 2019

Impaired liver function during pregnancy can lead to impaired metabolism and weight gain

Impaired liver function during pregnancy may alter gut bacteria composition and increase the risk of obesity in children, according to results presented at The Society for Endocrinology Annual Conference.

11 Nov 2019

Study finds lower levels of liver decompensation in pregnant women with cirrhosis

Data from a new study presented this week at The Liver Meeting – held by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases and funded by the AASLD Foundation – found that less than two percent of pregnant women with cirrhosis had liver decompensation within one year of delivery, and their odds of decompensation is much lower than non-pregnant women with cirrhosis.

10 Nov 2019

Botanical product kratom may cause liver toxicity and injury, study finds

Data from a new study presented this week at The Liver Meeting – held by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases – found that kratom, a popular and widely available product, may cause liver toxicity and severe liver injury.

10 Nov 2019

Many teens may develop nutritional deficiencies years after bariatric surgery

The good news: bariatric surgery can be a life-changer for severely obese teens. Not only do young people experience dramatic weight loss, they also benefit from near-immediate improvement of diabetes plus longer-term reductions in heart health risks.

10 Nov 2019

UC researcher finds new treatment option for liver transplant patients

A drug commonly used to treat both asthma and inflammatory bowel disease, budesonide, may also be useful as an anti-organ rejection medication for liver transplant patients leading to fewer serious side effects than the most commonly used therapy, according to a University of Cincinnati researcher.

9 Nov 2019