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TAG | gut health
A new study published in the online journal mbio® found differences between the gut bacteria of autistic children compared to non-autistic children. This comes as no surprise to me. Children with autism commonly have digestive issues. Dr. Smith has blogged about this, and we’ve written about it in my book, The Road To Perfect Health.
In the study, actual tissue samples taken from the guts of 23 autistic children were used to determine gut bacterial balance. Not widely used due to its invasive nature, taking actual gut samples (as opposed to stool samples) is considered the best method for determining the “actual” gut bacterial contents. In 12 of the 23 samples from autistic children, the bacteria Sutterella was isolated in relatively large proportions yet not at all detected in the samples from non-autistic children.
“Sutterella has been associated with gastrointestinal diseases below the diaphragm, and whether it is a pathogen or not is still not clear,” says Jorge Benach, a reviewer of the study. “It’s an observation that needs to be followed through.”
Autism is a condition that demands attention. Its prevalence has increased so rapidly it cannot be simply attributed to genetic causes. Something, probably a combination of many things, is triggering this condition. Gut health is an important piece of the autism puzzle.
Like other studies on gut bacterial balance, we are only just beginning to scratch the surface of the deep-reaching connections between the gut and total-body health. Truly, our guts are in control here. This is why supporting healthy digestion and gut balance is so important.
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Belly fat, or visceral adipose tissue (VAT), is the fat that accumulates around the organs in the abdomen. It is strongly related to metabolic disorders including insulin resistance, fatty liver and inflammation. Because of the close proximity of belly fat to the intestines, and the ability of gut bacterial toxins to affect inflammation outside the gut, the relationship of increased intestinal permeability, or leaky gut, to increased abdominal fat has been investigated.
Indeed, previous studies in animals and in people with illnesses like Crohn’s disease1 and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), have found a link between leaky gut and belly fat. Until recently, however, no studies had been done in healthy humans. Now the picture is all coming together nicely, as a new study highlights.
In 55 healthy women, intestinal permeability was estimated by measuring urinary excretion of ingested nonmetabolizable sucralose and mannitol. (They measure the ratio of excreted sucralose to mannitol—if the sucralose level is high, it means it leaked through the gut, even though it shouldn’t.) Further, imaging was performed of subcutaneous fat (fat just under the skin) visceral fat, and liver fat. The researchers found that increased leaky gut was associated with increases in both visceral fat and liver fat content in healthy women.2 This is important because previous studies have found this in people with illnesses, but it was not known if leaky gut could was associated with belly fat in healthy individuals. Now we have a better picture of this gut connection.
The women in the study had no history of gut disorders, yet some of them still had leaky gut, and those with the worst leaky gut also had the most belly and liver fat. The researchers stated, “The current findings suggest that even without pathologically compromised gut function, intestinal permeability still appears to play a role in visceral adipose and liver fat accumulation.” Importantly, they go on to mention the role that the gut microbiota plays in this picture. Alterations in gut bacteria composition has been associated with metabolic dysfunction,3 and gut bacteria help regulate gut barrier function,4 they mention.
They conclude, “Our data suggests that intestinal permeability may be an important part of the link between diet, gut microbial balance, inflammation, and metabolic disorders. The present findings are consistent with the emerging role of gut in metabolic health.”
Abdominal fat has even been considered an organ of its own, due to the many chemicals and hormones it produces, just as organs do. The role of VAT as a contributor to metabolic diseases is possibly the most important factor to consider when trying to reduce disease risk. That the accumulation of this belly fat is related to the gut, and might even originate in the gut, takes our search into the prevention of diseases yet one more step closer to the source. A healthy gut is truly the foundation of total body health.
References
- Desreumaux P, et al., “Inflammatory alterations in mesenteric adipose tissue in Crohn’s disease.” Gastroenterology. 1999 Jul;117(1):73-81.
- Gummesson A, et al., “Intestinal Permeability Is Associated With Visceral Adiposity in Healthy Women.” Obesity (Silver Spring). 2011 Aug 18. [Epub ahead of print]
- Cani PD and Delzenne NM, “The role of the gut microbiota in energy metabolism and metabolic disease.” Curr Pharm Des. 2009;15(13):1546-58.
- Sharma R, et al., “Molecular modulation of intestinal epithelial barrier: contribution of microbiota.” J Biomed Biotechnol. 2010;2010:305879.
Leonard Smith, M.D.
Dr. Leonard Smith is a prominent Board-Certified, general, gastrointestinal and vascular surgeon who had a successful private practice for 25 years. In addition to his active surgery practice, he also incorporated lifestyle, diet, supplementation, exercise, detoxification, and stress management into many of the therapies he would prescribe. Many of his patients with cancer, cardiovascular disease, and other serious illnesses did so well under his treatment regimes that he began to devote most of his career to foundational health care and preventive medicine.
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Omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil are high in EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). These fatty acids have been associated with heart health, joint health, brain health, gut health… the list goes on and on. The two often go hand in hand, and for most conditions, researchers don’t know the perfect ratio of EPA to DHA. But for infant health, DHA is the fatty acid that shines.
DHA is most concentrated in the brain and the retina, which is why it’s been found to be helpful in these areas of the body. In infants, DHA has been found to help improve brain development when pregnant mothers get high amounts, and when infants receive it from breast milk or supplemented formula.
Two new studies add to the science behind DHA for new mothers. One study in preterm infants found that high doses of DHA in baby formula or breast milk resulted in greater growth rate of the head, which was associated with increased mental development—both important factors when considering pre-term infants who are at a developmental disadvantage.
The second study found that pregnant women who took fish oil high in DHA had fewer symptoms common to postpartum depression. Considering 25 percent of new mothers experience postpartum depression, this is good news. More studies will be done to determine just how and why DHA works in this way, but the results are promising. Fish oil supplements are a great source of DHA, but look for a formula that has IFOS (International Fish Oil Standards) certification to ensure that you’re getting the purest fish oil.
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Probiotics are well known for their beneficial effects on the gut. After all, that’s where they thrive. But these beneficial bacteria have far-reaching effects that you wouldn’t think had anything to do with the digestive tract. One of the main reasons for this is due to the fact that immune system that resides in the gut, in the gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT). These beneficial gut bacteria “communicate,” in a sense, with the immune system. When there is a healthy balance of good bacteria, the immune system responds properly. When there is an imbalance, the immune system might miss the message altogether. Then the sniffles begin.
A recent study found that daily consumption of the probiotic strains Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus paracasei helped protect study participants against the common cold, as well as reduced symptoms for those who contracted colds. Just more proof that the gut is connected to other systems of the body. Our gut health is truly at the heart of our total-body health. Studies like these support the “gut instincts” I’ve had for a long time. So next time you reach for a tissue, reach for some probiotics, too.
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Did you know that a healthy gut can help you fight back against colds and flu? This week on the Poop Scoop I’ll be talking with renowned medical doctor and nutrition expert Leonard Smith about the importance of a strong digestive tract for boosting immunity and warding off harmful bacteria and viruses. After all, more than 70 percent of your body’s natural immune defenses live in your gut!
Dr. Leonard Smith is a prominent general, gastrointestinal and vascular surgeon, as well as an expert on nutrition and natural supplementation. For the past 25 years, Dr. Smith has studied countless holistic medical programs, including those focusing on immunity, longevity, nutrition, exercise, chelation, stress management and the relevance of mental and spiritual attitude with regard to healing. Acknowledging the effectiveness of whole organic foods and nutritional supplementation, Dr. Smith strives to stay on the cutting edge of research and keep pace with the latest advances in the field of functional nutrition.
Log on and listen to Brenda’s Poop Scoop LIVE every Wednesday from 4-5 pm (EST) right from your computer. Missed an episode? Visit the Episode Directory on my website and listen to past shows from the archive!
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Did you know that a healthy gut can help you fight back against colds and flu? This week on the Poop Scoop I’ll be talking with renowned medical doctor and nutrition expert Leonard Smith about the importance of a strong digestive tract for boosting immunity and warding off harmful bacteria and viruses. After all, more than 70 percent of your body’s natural immune defenses live in your gut!
Dr. Leonard Smith is a prominent general, gastrointestinal and vascular surgeon, as well as an expert on nutrition and natural supplementation. For the past 25 years, Dr. Smith has studied countless holistic medical programs, including those focusing on immunity, longevity, nutrition, exercise, chelation, stress management and the relevance of mental and spiritual attitude with regard to healing. Acknowledging the effectiveness of whole organic foods and nutritional supplementation, Dr. Smith strives to stay on the cutting edge of research and keep pace with the latest advances in the field of functional nutrition.
Log on and listen to Brenda’s Poop Scoop LIVE every Wednesday from 4-5 pm (EST) right from your computer. Missed an episode? Visit the Episode Directory on my website and listen to past shows from the archive!
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Gut bacteria linked to breast cancer and other diseases?
01/15/10 0 Comments | Posted by bwatson in General
Notable News – You know how I’m always saying that everything comes back to your gut? Turns out scientists at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago are thinking the same thing!
In an upcoming study funded by the U.S. Department of Defense (as in, the big guys), researchers are going to look into whether the bacteria in our gut are linked to certain diseases—specifically the rise of breast cancer in women. Interestingly, they think that the gut bacteria passed from mother to child may be a risk factor for the development of breast cancer. And ladies, if that’s not a reason to show your digestive tract a little more TLC, I don’t know what is!
The exciting thing is that this is just one of many studies in the works to help us better understand how the bacterial environment in our intestines—and even the bacteria on our skin—affects our overall health. I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait to see what scientists find out, especially since I’ve been touting the benefits of better digestion for years.
Alright, maybe I sound a little overly excited about these studies, but think about it—those of us in the natural health world have known for decades that our gut bacteria are at the base of total-body health, and now the rest of the world is finally catching up!
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