Diet, Gastroenterology, Nutrition

Many gluten-free foods are high in calories and sugar, low on fiber and protein, and they cost more − new research

Currently, many gluten-free products lack dietary fiber, protein and essential nutrients. Manufacturers often add supplements to compensate, but the incorporation of dietary fibers during processing can hinder protein digestion.

In addition, gluten-free products generally contain higher sugar levels compared with other products containing gluten. Long-term adherence to a gluten-free diet has been associated with increased body mass index, or BMI, and nutritional deficiencies.

Cancer, Colon Cancer, Gastroenterology, Microbiology, Oncology

Scientists Link a Single Type of Bacteria to Colorectal Cancer

“It sounds scary, but this is good information to have,” said Susan Bullman, Ph.D., of Fred Hutch Cancer Center, who co-led the study. “Microbes are manipulatable—you can target them. So [as] we see that this microbe is getting to tumors and may be contributing actively to disease progression, we can harness that information and think about how to prevent that.”

Diet, Gastroenterology, Nutrition

COVID and your gut: how a healthy microbiome can reduce the severity of infection – and vice versa

With COVID, it appears that the make-up of the gut microbiome can influence the course of disease. Research has shown an association between the microbiome profile and levels of inflammatory markers in patients with COVID, where patients with a poorer combination of gut bacteria show signs of too much inflammation. This suggests the microbiome influences the severity of a COVID infection via effects on the immune response.