Pop is in the spotlight yet again. This time, for its ability to disrupt gut bacteria and immunity
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Drinking pop has long been linked to adverse health effects, such as obesity, Type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Added sugars (whatever their source) are the primary culprit, yet 'diet sodas, which have been found to increase hunger and disrupt metabolism, are not any better,' according to UCLA Health. A new study suggests another pop-consumption concern: sugary drinks disrupt gut bacteria and immunity.
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But it's not all doom and gloom, say researchers from the Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology. The study published in Nature Communications found that though drinking pop sweetened with white sugar alters the DNA of gut bacteria and affects the immune system, once sugar consumption stops, the impacts are reversible.
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'Gut bacteria are important members of the microbial community within our body, i.e., the microbiome. These bacteria, which have co-evolved with humans for generations, are so essential to human health in general and to the development of the immune system in particular that we cannot function without them,' says a press release about the research.
Studies have shown that diet influences microbiome composition and overall functionality, write the researchers, led by professor Naama Geva-Zatorsky and Ph.D. student Noa Gal-Mandelbaum. In contrast, research on the impact of what we eat on the functionality of specific gut bacteria is 'relatively scarce.'
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The current research builds on a previous study by the Geva-Zatorsky Lab, which identified DNA inversions ('rapid genetic switches') as one way gut bacteria respond to and protect themselves when facing environmental changes. To understand how dietary factors affect these inversions, the study focused on Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron.
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The researchers say that this 'prominent gut member' plays a role in preventing gut inflammation, preserving its mucus layer and protecting the body from pathogens. By studying the effects of different dietary components on the bacteria's DNA, in vitro, in mice and in humans, the researchers found that white sugar consumption created DNA inversions, which impacted the immune system.
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In a social media post, Technion said, 'This discovery highlights the deep connection between our diet, microbiome and health — and opens the door to personalized nutrition for a stronger immune system.'
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