Latest news with #Bacteroidesthetaiotaomicron
Calgary Herald
28-07-2025
- Health
- Calgary Herald
Pop is in the spotlight yet again. This time, for its ability to disrupt gut bacteria and immunity
Pop has been a hot topic over the past few weeks. First, U.S. President Donald Trump waded into MAHA — Make America Healthy Again — waters by saying Coca-Cola was swapping high-fructose corn syrup for cane sugar. 'It's just better!' he posted on social media. (Health experts say it's not. There's no nutritional difference between the two.) Article content 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. Article content Article content Article content 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. Article content Article content '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. Article content 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.' Article content Article content 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. Article content Article content 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. Article content 'The main dietary components correlating with DNA inversions contained different types of carbohydrates. The most notable one was soft drinks containing white sugar,' according to the study.
Vancouver Sun
28-07-2025
- Health
- Vancouver Sun
Pop is in the spotlight yet again. This time, for its ability to disrupt gut bacteria and immunity
Pop has been a hot topic over the past few weeks. First, U.S. President Donald Trump waded into MAHA — Make America Healthy Again — waters by saying Coca-Cola was swapping high-fructose corn syrup for cane sugar . 'It's just better!' he posted on social media. (Health experts say it's not. There's no nutritional difference between the two.) 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. 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. Discover the best of B.C.'s recipes, restaurants and wine. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of West Coast Table will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. At the heart of the research is the microbiome. '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.' 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. 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. 'The main dietary components correlating with DNA inversions contained different types of carbohydrates. The most notable one was soft drinks containing white sugar,' according to the study. 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.' Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our cookbook and recipe newsletter, Cook This, here .
San Francisco Chronicle
01-05-2025
- Health
- San Francisco Chronicle
Worried about mercury in fish? California researchers find a possible fix
Researchers at UC San Diego's Scripps Institution of Oceanography and UCLA claim to have engineered a probiotic bacterium that could one day help shield people, especially pregnant women, from the toxic effects of mercury-laden seafood. In a study published Thursday in Cell Host and Microbe, scientists reported success in using a modified strain of Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, a common gut microbe, to break down methylmercury — the highly toxic form of mercury that accumulates in fish and shellfish. In experiments with mice, the engineered bacteria removed methylmercury from the digestive tract within 12 hours, significantly reducing its levels in tissue and waste. 'We envision the possibility that people could take a probiotic to offset the risk of consuming too much methylmercury, especially when pregnant,' said Elaine Hsiao, co-senior author and microbiome researcher at UCLA, in a statement. Mercury pollution from coal burning, gold mining and industrial waste makes its way into oceans, where it is converted into methylmercury and accumulates in seafood, according to the researchers. Health agencies often warn pregnant women to avoid certain fish, but for many communities, fish remain an essential and irreplaceable dietary staple. 'Despite global efforts to reduce mercury emissions and its accumulation in fish, methylmercury levels in seafood are not expected to decline anytime soon,' said co-lead author Amina Schartup, a marine biogeochemist at Scripps, in a statement. 'Fish remains a major and culturally important part of the diet for many people around the world and we hope it continues to be.'
