INFANT COLIC
Abnormal gut bacteria in infants may be one cause of colic, or excessive crying, recent research suggests. In the study, colicky babies (who cry for more than three hours a day without a medical reason) had a distinct bacterial “signature”.
They had higher numbers of bacteria from a group called Proteobacteria in their guts compared to babies without colic. Proteobacteria include bacteria known to produce gas, which may cause pain in infants and lead to crying, the researchers said. These abnormities disappeared after the first few months of life, which suggests they are temporary. However, this study was small and conducted for just a few months, so additional, longer studies are needed to confirm the results.
BRAIN
Disrupting gut bacteria may have an effect on the brain, and in turn, behavior, studies in animal suggest. A 2011 study in mice found that animals given antibiotics (which kill gut bacteria) became less anxious, and when their gut bacteria was restored, so was their anxiety. Mice given antibiotics also showed changes in their brain chemistry that have been linked to depression. The researchers said they suspect the bacteria are producing chemicals that can access and influence the brain. If gut bacteria play a role in human behavior, it’s possible that therapies that aim to restore normal gut
flora, such as probiotics, may be helpful in correcting behavior and mood changes in people with gastrointestinal diseases, according to the researchers. However, it’s not clear if the results apply to people.
IMMUNE SYSTEM
Your gut is the main area in the body where the immune system interacts with what’s brought in from the outside world. Thus, the interaction between gut bacteria and your own cells appear to play an important role in the development of a fully functioning immune system. According to a 2003 review paper, lymphatic tissue in the intestine contains the largest pool of cells capable of producing an immune response. A 2012 study found that whether babies are fed breast milk or formula influences the composition of their gut bacteria, and in turn, the development of their immune system. Babies fed only breast milk had more diversity in their gut bacteria than babies who were fed only formula. There was also a link between the genes that were “turned on” in the babies’ gut bacteria, and the
genes that were “turned on” in their immune system. Breast is best people!
HEART DISEASE
When gut bacteria feed on certain foods — including eggs and beef — they produce a compound that could boost the risk of heart disease, according to a recent study. Participants in the study with high levels of the compound, called trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO), in their blood were 2.5 times more likely to have a heart attack, stroke or to die over a three-year period compared with people with low levels of the compound. Although the findings are preliminary, the results reinforce existing dietary recommendations for lowering heart disease risk, which advise people to reduce consumption of foods high in fat and cholesterol (such as beef and eggs), the researchers said.
OBESITY
that an increase in a group of gut bacteria called Firmicutes, and a decrease in a group of gut bacteria
called Bacteroidetes, are linked with obesity. Research done on animals may provide clues about how
gut bacteria affect weight gain. One recent study found that mice that received a “gut bacteria transplant” from an obese person gained more weight and fat mass than those who received bacteria from a lean person. What’s more, the transplant altered the metabolism of the mice: animals that received gut bacteria from an obese person had metabolic changes linked with obesity in humans (such as increased production of compounds called branched-chain amino acids); while those that
received gut bacteria from a lean person had metabolic changes linked with reduced body weight (such as increased breakdown of carbohydrates).
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