The microbiome gets seeded at birth While the womb was initially thought to be sterile, some scientists have argued that it is where the microbiome begins, due to some evidence of non-pathogenic bacteria in the placenta, amniotic fluid and the first stool that forms in a fetus. However, recent research findings suggest that a baby’s main encounter with microbes takes place principally at birth. Nevertheless, such an observation does not diminish the importance of the role of microorganisms in a healthy pregnancy. And although the fetus is in a sterile environment within the womb, it is exposed ..read more

The educational content in this post, elaborated in collaboration with Lesaffre, was independently developed and approved by the GMFH publishing team and editorial board. What evidence supports the importance of the gut mycobiota in immunity? Initially, the resident mycobiota (fungal community) in the gastrointestinal tract was considered a passive component of the microbiome that could become pathogenic secondary to a disrupted intestinal milieu or a decreased immune response. However, recent research has shown that the gut mycobiota is actively involved in shaping host digestive and immune h ..read more

Scientists have figured out how changes in gut microbiota composition and functions drive IBS-related symptoms Scientists suggest that acting on the gut microbiota from the outside can help relieve IBS symptoms, based on the central role gut microbes seem to play. Examples of said role are as follows. First, one in 10 people who experience an episode of gastroenteritis do not recover and develop IBS symptoms. Second, antibiotics may increase the risk of IBS by altering the gut microbiota. Last, certain probiotics and locally acting antibiotics have been shown to be successful as a treatment fo ..read more

The educational content in this post, elaborated in collaboration with Bromatech, was independently developed and approved by the GMFH publishing team and editorial board. What does increased intestinal permeability or ‘leaky gut’ mean? The term ‘leaky gut’ is the simplistic concept used to reflect increased intestinal permeability due to a dysfunction in any of the gut barrier’s components. Indeed, a leaky gut goes beyond an altered epithelial cell layer and can also affect the mucus layer and inner layer, including immune cells that are important components of the gut barrier. Professor Giov ..read more

The 11th Gut Microbiota for Health World Summit will take place on March 11 and 12, 2023 in Prague, Czech Republic Three years after the last visit, the GMFH World Summit returns to Europe and will be held for the first time in Prague! This leading event is sponsored by the European Society of Neurogastroenterology and Motility (ESNM) and the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA), with the endorsement of the American Neurogastroenterology and Motility Society (ANMS). A scientific committee, co-chaired by Harry Sokol, MD, PhD, has put together an interdisc ..read more

When you eat, you are feeding the huge community of microbes living in your gut that can influence blood sugar Lifestyle changes involving both diet and physical activity are the first go-to advice for managing type 2 diabetes. While scientists had previously established that the benefits of lifestyle changes relied largely on how food affected blood glucose, it was not until recently that they observed the involvement of gut microbes. The close connection between the gut microbiome and controlling blood glucose arises from the involvement of our gut inhabitants in: Telling us what to eat by ..read more

The educational content in this post, elaborated in collaboration with Lesaffre, was independently developed and approved by the GMFH publishing team and editorial board. Fungi are a small but important component of your gut microbiome While bacteria are the main component of your gut microbiome, other key microorganisms are also present. They include archaea (similar to bacteria in shape and size), viruses, phages (viruses that selectively kill bacteria), fungi (including yeasts and molds), and all influence not only other gut microbes, but your health and quality of life. Bacteria and archae ..read more

The educational content in this post, elaborated in collaboration with Ferring Pharmaceuticals, was independently developed and approved by the GMFH publishing team and editorial board. This is the fourth article in a special collection that focuses on the epidemiology, diagnosis and management of C. difficile infection, which is of relevance to gastroenterologists. See the first article on C. difficile infection prevalence, risk factors and co-occurrence with COVID-19 here, the second article on diagnosing and managing primary and recurrent C. difficile infection here and the third article on ..read more

The educational content in this post, elaborated in collaboration with BioGaia, was independently developed and approved by the GMFH publishing team and editorial board. Emerging science looks to gut microbiome to make bones less brittle Alterations in gut microbiome composition and functions have been reported in conditions that lead to bone loss or increase fracture risk such as a poor diet, obesity and inflammatory diseases. That is why scientists have started to speculate that there might be a relationship between the gut microbiota and bones. The first data looking at the connection betwe ..read more

The educational content in this post, elaborated in collaboration with Ferring Pharmaceuticals, was independently developed and approved by the GMFH publishing team and editorial board. This is the fourth article in a special collection aimed at focusing on the epidemiology, diagnosis and management of C. difficile infection, of relevance to gastroenterologists. See the first article on C. difficile infection prevalence, risk factors and co-occurrence with COVID-19 here, the second article on diagnosis and management of primary and recurrent C. difficile infection here, and the third article o ..read more