“Chronic low-grade inflammation is now considered to be a critical pathological factor underlying many modern chronic diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases, and is associated with aging. Chronic low-grade inflammation is characterized by elevated circulating levels of inflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1, and IL-6. A primary cause … Read More →
Abbreviations: F-HFD: fructose enriched high-fat coconut oil diet F-SO-HFD: fructose enriched high-fat soybean oil diet HFD: high-fat coconut oil diet LPSs: lipopolysaccharides PUFAs: polyunsaturated fatty acids SO-HFD: high-fat soybean oil diet Viv: low-fat, high-fiber rodent diet “Look! It’s moving. It’s sa — it’s… it’s alive. It’s alive… It’s alive, it’s moving, it’s alive! It’s … Read More →
Today’s post will cover a meta-analysis (review) of randomized clinical trials that studied prebiotics and their effects on a host of different metabolic markers in humans. Published in the British Journal of Nutrition, this paper covered the results of twenty-six trials that collectively studied 831 subjects. (1) Studies included in this meta-analysis were restricted … Read More →
As long time readers of this blog know, I consider metabolic syndrome (insulin resistance, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, etc.) as fundamentally caused by translocating gut bacteria to the liver and systemic circulation. This explains what initiates what I’ve termed “The Inflammatory-Cortisol Ballet” and the metabolic consequences that flow from that. When it comes to heart … Read More →
On February 13th of 2013, I published a post entitled Fibromyalgia, Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Endotoxemia. I made the case that the high prevalence of bowel dysfunction and fibromyalgia was no mere coincidence. In today’s post, I’ll present evidence from a preliminary study out of Spain implicating non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) as a possible trigger … Read More →
Abbreviations: BMI: body mass index FPG: fasting plasma glucose HbA1c: glycosylated hemoglobin hs-CRP: C-reactive protein IL-6: interleukin 6 IL-10: interleukin 10 IFN-y: interferon gamma LPSs: lipopolysaccharides SIFBO: small intestinal fungal and bacterial overgrowth TNF-a: tumor necrosis factor alpha Today’s post will review an interesting study out of Iran that was published in December (1). … Read More →
“Ignorance is preferable to error, and he is less remote from the truth who believes nothing than he who believes what is wrong.” Thomas Jefferson Abbreviations: BCM7: beta-casomorphin-7 C. albicans: Candida albicans FOS: fructooligosaccharide GERD: gastroesophageal reflux disease GI: gastrointestinal H. pylori: Helicobacter pylori, aka Campylobacter pylori IBS: irritable bowel syndrome LES: … Read More →
When it comes to gut flora, the more research I do on this subject, the more clear it becomes that we have just scratched the surface of understanding what this organ does for us. And no, the word “organ” is not a typo. If we define an organ as a body structure that contributes … Read More →
Today I want to discuss serum endotoxin levels in relation to type 2 diabetes. I don’t believe there is any hope of understanding the cause of this disease without reference to gastrointestinal health and translocation of endotoxins to the liver. It is the liver, after all, that is on the front lines when your … Read More →
In this post, I want to write about an interesting Brazilian study that examined the effects of feeding gluten in combination with a high-fat diet to C57BL/6 mice, the most popular strain of mice used in laboratories around the world. (1) Would our furry friends experience any negative effects from consuming the protein found … Read More →
I want to continue my series on weight dysregulation by examining the role endotoxemia may play. As you may have noticed, nowhere in the title does the word obesity appear. While I will talk about how gram-negative pathogens can promote weight gain, it’s equally clear that lipopolysaccharides (LPSs) derived from these same organisms can … Read More →
Today I want to cover how gut pathogens can negatively impact the ability to digest food and regulate appetite. Here is an illustration of what should be, but oftentimes isn’t, absorbed in the digestive tract: Your ability to absorb nutrition is reliant on a healthy small intestine. If any part of the small … Read More →
It should surprise none of you that I consider weight dysregulation one of the many manifestations of gut dysbiosis. Obesity is associated with a whole host of disorders, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and non-alcoholic fatty liver. Much of what I’ve written about endotoxemia also applies to obesity. This isn’t to say that … Read More →
This subject is near and dear to my heart because of that good-looking pooch in the picture. My pet Gorky was an exceptionally beautiful Siberian Husky with piercing blue eyes and the personality of a loveable oaf. Unfortunately, at the age of ten he was diagnosed with diabetes. He let us know by peeing … Read More →
All disease begins in the gut. – Hippocrates This is not going to be a long post, something I’m sure many of you are grateful for;) But it is an extremely important one because what you learn today will serve as a foundation for many of the posts to come. Endotoxemia is something … Read More →