autoimmune – THE BIOME BUZZ

The Prophylactic Use of Probiotics (to Combat Microbiome Alterations Due to C-section and Early Life Antibiotic Use)

December 11, 2018

The article I read yesterday was a natural follow-on from my last post, about autism and its relationship to perturbations in the gut microbiome. This one was about a double-blind, placebo-controlled study using probiotics to restore normal gut microbiota in infants who were either born via c-section or given antibiotics early in life.[i] Before I … Read more

Senescence, Aging…and the Microbiome: Part 2

December 4, 2018

As I promised last Thursday, I’ll finish talking about the article[i] on aging, the microbiome, and senescence today. A quick summary of my last post: the evidence currently available points to a depletion of the microbiota as we age (from diet (for example, older people – who may have dental issues – may not eat … Read more

Stress and Our Missing Old Friends

November 15, 2018

Yesterday I devoted several hours to reading a fascinating article on the connection between stress and the microbiome.[i] The conclusion: the lack of exposure to our “old friends” (those commensal organisms with which humans co-evolved) has caused immune dysregulation, leading to a greater susceptibility to the adverse effects of stress…and that stress, in turn, has … Read more

Depression and the Microbiome: A Brief Update

October 25, 2018

A few days ago, the website Psychiatry Advisor, had a very nice review article[i] of our current understanding of probiotics’ effects on depression. I’ve written about this before, obviously, but want to always keep you updated on all the latest. Besides, this is also a good lead in for my next post, which I am … Read more

Rectifying My Own Ignorance: The Gut Biome and Spondylitis

October 4, 2018

Even knowing that so many illnesses that seem so far removed from the gut actually start there (autism, Parkinson’s, depression, etc.), I am constantly amazed when I come across yet another one. Today, I’m writing about an article I just finished reading on Ankylosing Spondylitis. According to the Spondylitis Association of America, “Common features of … Read more

Autism and the Early Bacterial Microbiome

September 11, 2018

Last month, a review paper[i] came out on the implications of the disruption of the bacterial microbiome in autism. I was hoping to find something new in it and was not disappointed. A few highlights. As the bacterial microbiota are crucial for the production of many important vitamins, they “…can exert an important influence over … Read more

Dysbiosis, Fibromylagia (and Chronic Fatigue)…and Me

September 6, 2018

As many of you may know, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is thought to be closely related to fibromyalgia… and as someone who suffers from the latter, any news on these two illnesses is near and dear to me. Inspired by the d-lactate findings I wrote about in my last two posts, I did some snooping … Read more

Helminth Exposure and Autoimmune Disease: A Psychic Vision

August 21, 2018

I got a wonderful email this past Friday, and have been very much looking forward to sharing it with you all this week. A friend from the helminthic therapy world sent me a “Happy Anniversary” message, celebrating the 50th year since the publication of the first paper[i] noting that exposure to helminths is associated with … Read more

Helminthic Therapy and “Outlaw” Innovation

August 2, 2018

A couple of days ago, a friend sent me a chapter from a book that he knew would greatly interest me. The chapter is entitled, “Chronic Disease, New Thinking, and Outlaw Innovation: Patients on the Edge in the Knowledge Commons.”[i] Well, in fact, I was even more interested than he knew: the author, Dr. Stephen … Read more

Phages and Autoimmune Diseases

July 24, 2018

Last month I wrote about bacteriophages (phages, for short) and Parkinson’s Disease. If you remember, a phage is a virus that kills bacteria. Those researchers found an abnormally high number of phages had killed off good Lactobaccillus in PD patients: ““The depletion of Lactococcus due to high numbers of strictly lytic phages in PD patients … Read more

THE BIOME BUZZ

BUGS AND WORMS AND OTHER GREAT STUFF

Tag: autoimmune