Latest news with #Lactobacillus
Hindustan Times
15 hours ago
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Doctor shares why cranberry juice is the next big thing to improve your gut health
Good gut health depends on what's on your plate, and sometimes, what's in your glass. Superfoods that supercharge gut health have a new contender in the spotlight- and it's a tart, sweet drink, cranberry juice. UK-based Dr Karan Rajan, who regularly shares health and nutrition tips on Instagram, posted on May 30 his reaction to a video of a content creator, explaining how she's having cranberry juice for better gut health. He also broke down the surprising benefits of cranberry juice's pigment for the gut microbiome. A post shared by Dr Karan Rajan (MRCS MBBS BSc) (@drkaranrajan) Dr Karan Rajan breaks down the gut-boosting properties of a powerful compound found in cranberries, called polyphenols, in the clip. According to him, the gut microbiome benefits the most from cranberry juice, as it promotes the growth of beneficial bacterial strains. He explained, "When you drink cranberry juice, you get a dose of one of the most beneficial nutrients you can get from any diet, polyphenols. These are natural plant antioxidants which can help reduce inflammation and provide some more gut health benefits. The type of polyphenols found in cranberries, which also give it its vibrant colour, are called proanthocyanidins. These polyphenols help to reduce the growth of bad bacteria, leading to better gut health. In fact, there's growing evidence that cranberry polyphenols can act as prebiotics, basically food for the good bacteria. So they promote the growth of beneficial strains like Akkermansia, Bifidobacterium, and Lactobacillus." The absorption of nutrients and overall efficiency also depend on how you consume the fruit. Additionally, gut health thrives with a diet that is diverse and contains a variety of polyphenols. Dr Ranjan added, "The benefits from eating cranberries or blending the fruit into a smoothie are far greater than just the juice because it lacks fibre. But occasionally, it's a convenient option for the boost of plant pigments. If you want to eat food with the highest concentrations of polyphenols, then just choose plants that are dark red, purple, or blue. If you eat a wide range of colourful plants, you maximise the chances of getting a variety of plant pigments and polyphenols. Different polyphenols each have a unique impact on the gut microbiome, meaning each one can help you support different microbes." ALSO READ: Gastroenterologist shares 5 juices he 'drinks as a doctor for gut and liver health': Pomegranate to cranberry juice Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Chilean scientists develop probiotic to help prevent stomach cancer
May 30 (UPI) -- Scientists at the University of Concepción in Chile have developed the world's first patented probiotic designed to prevent gastric cancer. The oral supplement is 93.6% effective and targets Helicobacter pylori, a key bacterial factor in the disease. The probiotic forms a protective coating along the stomach lining, preventing the bacteria from attaching when contaminated food or water is consumed. The supplement is approved for use starting at age 8 and also functions as an immunobiotic, helping regulate the body's immune response. Chilean biochemist and Ph.D. in biological sciences Apolinaria García led the research, using Lactobacillus fermentum as the base of the probiotic compound. Gastric cancer is among the most common cancers worldwide and ranks as the fourth-deadliest. Often called a "silent killer," its early symptoms are difficult to distinguish from more common and benign digestive conditions. Helicobacter pylori is found in about half the global population and is linked not only to gastric cancer but also to precursor conditions such as stomach ulcers and MALT lymphoma. In the United States, the American Cancer Society estimates that nearly 30,000 new stomach cancer cases will be diagnosed in 2025, with more than 10,000 deaths expected. In Latin America, countries such as Chile, Peru, Ecuador and Colombia report some of the highest incidence rates and lowest survival rates for gastric cancer, said Dr. Patricio Mardónez, president of Chile's National Health Network. He noted that countries like Japan and South Korea have significantly reduced mortality through widespread early detection and screening programs. "Regionally, what was once a cancer seen mostly in people over 65 is now being detected in patients under 50," Mardónez said. While the exact causes behind the rise in gastric cancer diagnoses among younger people are still under investigation, several hypotheses have been proposed. Changes in diet and lifestyle may be contributing, including increased consumption of highly processed foods high in sodium and low in fresh fruits and vegetables. Sedentary behavior and obesity are also risk factors, along with prolonged use of medications such as proton pump inhibitors (PPI), commonly prescribed for acid reflux.
UPI
a day ago
- Health
- UPI
Chilean scientists develop probiotic to help prevent stomach cancer
Chilean scientists develop the world's first patented probiotic shown to prevent gastric cancer. File Photo by Billie Jean Shaw/UPI May 30 (UPI) -- Scientists at the University of Concepción in Chile have developed the world's first patented probiotic designed to prevent gastric cancer. The oral supplement is 93.6% effective and targets Helicobacter pylori, a key bacterial factor in the disease. The probiotic forms a protective coating along the stomach lining, preventing the bacteria from attaching when contaminated food or water is consumed. The supplement is approved for use starting at age 8 and also functions as an immunobiotic, helping regulate the body's immune response. Chilean biochemist and Ph.D. in biological sciences Apolinaria García led the research, using Lactobacillus fermentum as the base of the probiotic compound. Gastric cancer is among the most common cancers worldwide and ranks as the fourth-deadliest. Often called a "silent killer," its early symptoms are difficult to distinguish from more common and benign digestive conditions. Helicobacter pylori is found in about half the global population and is linked not only to gastric cancer but also to precursor conditions such as stomach ulcers and MALT lymphoma. In the United States, the American Cancer Society estimates that nearly 30,000 new stomach cancer cases will be diagnosed in 2025, with more than 10,000 deaths expected. In Latin America, countries such as Chile, Peru, Ecuador and Colombia report some of the highest incidence rates and lowest survival rates for gastric cancer, said Dr. Patricio Mardónez, president of Chile's National Health Network. He noted that countries like Japan and South Korea have significantly reduced mortality through widespread early detection and screening programs. "Regionally, what was once a cancer seen mostly in people over 65 is now being detected in patients under 50," Mardónez said. While the exact causes behind the rise in gastric cancer diagnoses among younger people are still under investigation, several hypotheses have been proposed. Changes in diet and lifestyle may be contributing, including increased consumption of highly processed foods high in sodium and low in fresh fruits and vegetables. Sedentary behavior and obesity are also risk factors, along with prolonged use of medications such as proton pump inhibitors (PPI), commonly prescribed for acid reflux.
The Hindu
4 days ago
- Health
- The Hindu
The pleasing whiff of good bugs - where microbiology and perfumes meet
For someone who has been battling bad bugs for his entire professional life, life has produced an interesting deviation for Abdul Ghafur, infectious diseases expert. He has now begun engaging with the good bugs too, in particular looking at the skin microbiome to see what perfume is right for you. That's right. The perfume type has to be at ease with your skin microbiome, for it to actually work. Otherwise, multiple applications and overexposure to the chemicals in the perfumes might turn sour, at the least, and at the extreme, even turn harmful for humans. Microbiome bugs and perfume chemistry 'We think of bugs as being all 'bad', but that is not true at all. About 99.999 % of bugs are either neutral or good for us. It's only 0.001 % of bugs that are 'bad', rather, disease causing,' Dr. Ghafur hastens to clarify. While his profession hitherto has set him up arms akimbo, against the disease-causing critters, his passion has more recently set him on the side of the good ones! 'I am a connoisseur of perfume. And I've always wondered why some perfumes work for some people, but not for others. No two people have the same skin microbiome, and that's why a perfume that smells divine on one person may not work the same on another. The secret lies not just in the perfume, but in how your skin's bacteria interact with its ingredients,' he explains. If a certain perfume does not work, 'people just keep changing their brands frequently, or they think they have to apply more, spray liberally, or use the perfume multiple times. All of which cannot be good, because these perfumes are essentially a cocktail of chemicals that can impact the skin, cardiac health and may also be carconigenic,' he adds. That is what led him to studying what determines why perfumes work or not. 'It's skin chemistry, basically. The human skin is home to millions of bacteria that control the pH level, dryness, oil content etc. And we have plenty of data on these skin microbiome,' he explains. Sweat itself has no odour, it's just salt and water, it is the skin bacteria that lend the smell to sweat. Key players in body odour As far as body odour goes, there are three key groups of enabler bugs: Propionibacterium acnes that is found in areas with the lubricating sebaceous glands (face, back, chest, arm pit, groin), they contribute to a stronger body odour with a musky smell. The second is Micrococcus, which is found on various parts of the body, and its main role is to convert the sweat into ammonia and sulfur compounds, giving body odour a stronger and sharper scent. Finally, there is the Lactobacillus, which is found in the face, scalp, armpits, and groin. While it does not significantly contribute to body odour, instead does the opposite - helps prevent overgrowth of odour-producing bacteria. The concentration of skin microbiome is influenced by food, the enviroment and weather changes, but the percentage composition of the main bacterial group remains the same for an individual for a long while. There are specifications on where certain types could be used, for instance, floral notes should be used on the wrist, which is a dru area, musky scents on the neck, which is comparitively moist. Integrating skin microbiome analysis into fragrance science There is a lot of information available about the skin microbiome from a health perspective, but literally none of that has been adopted by the fragrance industry. 'But we have information, so we need to extrapolate our insights and findings to understand the personalisation of perfumes for individuals,' Dr. Gafur says. He has now taken up skin micobiome metagenomic testing for other connoisseurs of perfumes. 'We are not recommending testing for everyone. There is no viable business model for routine, expensive metagenomic testing before choosing a perfume. Our goal is to share valuable insights from microbiome and VOC ( Volatile Organic Compound) research and how they can be applied conceptually to fragrance use,' he says. Some people do spend lakhs on perfumes, and knowing what works for them will be helpful. All they need is a gentle skin swab—rubbing a cotton bud softly on the skin, and this swab is then used for skin microbiome metagenomic analysis to identify the unique bacterial profile of your skin. Recent consumer surveys, he adds, have shown an increased interest in safe and microbiome-friendly products. 'Several deodorants are already microbiome friendly, but that kind of orientation for perfumes is missing. We must remember, if deodorants are a song, them perfume is like a symphony,' Dr. Ghafur says. Clearly, we need to take care of the symphony as well.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Noster research: Gut bacteria-derived molecule found to shrink fat cells and improve metabolism
KYOTO, Japan, May 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Joint study by University of Shizuoka, Kobe University, and Noster Inc. uncovers a novel postbiotic pathway for obesity prevention. A new collaborative study from the University of Shizuoka, Kobe University, and Kyoto-based biotech company Noster Inc. has revealed that a natural compound produced by beneficial gut bacteria can directly act on fat cells, reducing their size and improving cellular metabolism. These findings, published in Nutrients, point to a new mechanism by which microbiome-derived compounds may help combat obesity and related diseases. The compound—HYA (10-hydroxy-cis-12-octadecenoic acid)—is made when certain gut bacteria, including Lactobacillus, metabolize linoleic acid, a common dietary fat. While HYA has previously been shown to support gut health and inflammation control, this study is the first to demonstrate that it directly alters the behavior of fat cells themselves. "We've known that metabolites from gut bacteria can influence the body, but this is the first clear evidence that HYA acts directly on adipose tissue," says Tetsuya Hosooka, Associate Professor at the University of Shizuoka and senior author of the study. "The discovery that gut bacteria can regulate fat cell function adds an exciting new dimension to our understanding of host–microbe communication." Key findings In the study, mice fed a high-fat diet were supplemented with HYA for five weeks. The fat cells themselves were significantly smaller compared to mice not receiving HYA—indicating a reduction in adipocyte hypertrophy, which is closely associated with insulin resistance and chronic inflammation. The researchers then examined the effects of HYA on cultured fat cells. In these experiments, HYA-treated adipocytes accumulated less fat, showed reduced expression of fat synthesis genes (FAS, ACC1, SCD1), and increased expression of genes involved in fat oxidation (CPT1A). This shift was linked to activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a key energy-regulating enzyme in cells. Importantly, the study found that HYA boosts intracellular calcium levels in fat cells, which in turn activates AMPK. This newly described mechanism is independent of GPR40 and GPR120, two receptors previously thought to mediate HYA's effects, suggesting that a different signaling route is involved. These results reinforce the idea that postbiotics—beneficial substances produced by gut microbes—can influence metabolic health by acting directly on distant tissues. Reference Matsushita R, Sato K, Uchida K, Imi Y, Amano R, Kasahara N, Kitao Y, Oishi Y, Kawaai H, Tomimoto C, et al. A Gut Microbial Metabolite HYA Ameliorates Adipocyte Hypertrophy by Activating AMP-Activated Protein Kinase. Nutrients, 2025; 17(8):1393. Glossary HYA – A natural compound produced by gut bacteria from dietary fat Adipocyte – A cell that stores fat in the body AMPK – An enzyme that regulates how cells use energy Postbiotic – A health-promoting compound made by gut microbes Hypertrophy – The enlargement of individual cells, often seen in obesity Abbreviations AMP (adenosine monophosphate), FAS (fatty acid synthase), ACC1 (acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1), SCD1 (stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1), CPT1A (carnitine acyltransferase 1A), GPR (G protein-coupled receptor) About Noster Inc. Noster Inc. is a biotechnology company based in Kyoto, Japan. The company focuses on postbiotics—compounds produced by gut bacteria—to develop new approaches to healthcare. By collaborating with universities and research institutes, Noster aims to translate microbiome science into real-world solutions for chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and inflammatory conditions. CEO: Kohey Kitao Head Office & Research Center: 35-3 Minamibiraki, Kamiueno-cho, Muko, Kyoto 617-0006, Japan Website: Contact Information Public Relations: Nanami Akatsuka Tel: +81-75-921-5303 / Fax: +81-75-924-2702 Email: contact@ Photo: View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Noster Inc Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
