This blog is devoted to BIOL 6988, a graduate level seminar in the biological sciences at Youngstown State University. While targeted towards graduate students, BIOL 6988 actively incorporates undergraduate participants in their scholastic endeavors in the biological sciences. This blog is intended as a educational tool not just for YSU students and faculty, but for anyone who wishes to contribute to an active-learning environment.
Dr. Johnston's study aimed to investigate the effects of OTC probiotics consumption on the GI microbiome bacteria community composition, structure and diversity during and after a short-term period (60 days) and also the levels of stress. One of the significant results showed decrease in stress levels in experimental individuals. Fecal assays received from the individuals showed the control group had high number of bacteria that were given in probiotics. Does that mean experimental group was able to retain more species of bacteria in their gut and not excrete out?
I really enjoyed Dr. Johnston's presentation. I found it very interesting to learn about the affects of diet and probiotics on health and the correlation between the brain and gut. I have always been curious about probiotics. Personally, I drink a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar (a source of probiotics) mixed with water every morning due to its health benefits. Some people take it for weight loss. I take it to keep my gut bacteria balanced which in turn helps my skin stay clear. In general, I feel like my body has been positively impacted by it. Does anyone else take any probiotics? Also, Dr. Johnston mentioned the health benefits of the Mediterranean diet. Being of Mediterranean origin, I agree that our diet is healthy and that probably makes sense as to why Mediterranean people, like John and myself, are so happy and kind (because according to Dr. Johnston, diet affects mental health)!
I take a shot of apply cider vinegar almost every morning (when I remember to!) and I have also noticed it help with my skin. I recently got into drinking kombucha, fermented tea drink that also contains probiotics, which is said to help rebalance gut bacteria, help with digestion and metabolism. I am a fan of it!
Dr. Johnston's presentation was interesting in terms of the gut-brain axis as well as the study performed by his previous grad student on the effects of applied probiotics. Going off of Carmen's observation of the Mediterranean diet; Dr. Johnston also mentioned a diet very close to my heart - veganism. Research such as the China Study by T. Colin Campbell and similar large scale studies have shown statistically significant correlations between diets high in animal protein and "diseases of affluence" such as heart disease, cancer, depression, etc. that we see on a Standard American Diet in comparison to regions of the world consuming less animal protein and more plant based protein. This is also supported by studies that show increases of healthy bacteria in the gut through plant protein when considering the gut-brain axis. To respond to Saher's question, the experimental group showed an increase in lactobacillus during probiotic intake while the control group did not show significant change in lactobacillus community. The theory being here that probiotics encourage a healthy gut microbiome. Though it seemed there were no statistically significant changes in cortisol in reference to the gut-brain axis, I think changes in experimental design could provide more reliable data.
I’m pretty interested in microbe balance and colorectal tumorigenises. Dr. Johnston talked a lot about dysbiosis of the gut microbiome resulting in inflammation. Specifically, I know microbe associated molecular patterns (MAMPs) from specific bacteria can activate toll-like receptors (TLRs), but also nod-like receptors and inflammasomes, which can result in a ton of negative consequences, secondarily brought on by immune reaction. For example, immune activation might result in production of chemokines and/or cytokines which initiate a cellular signaling cascade and ultimately results in either enhanced proliferation or hindered apoptosis, the hallmarks of cancer.
Additionally, dysbiosis may cause increased production of harmful microbe metabolites (I think Dr. Johnston referred to them as “post-biotics”). An increase in reactive oxygen/nitrogen species, acetylaldehyde, nitrosamines, dihydrogen sulfide, etc. produced by microbes can directly damage host cell DNA, and the resulting genotoxicity can lead to decreased effectiveness in the host cells’ natural ability to regulate growth and anchorage.
I don’t know exactly how prevalent colorectal cancer is, but I know it’s one of the major cancers. It’s so interesting to think perhaps it's not so much the food we eat (we always hear about the risk factors red meats and alcohol) affecting our cells, but how that food affects bacteria, which then affect our cells.
Saher, I’m just guessing but I think the presence of microbes in feces is directly proportional to their presence in the colon (if it is excreted, there is still a lot more in the gut). I’m thinking maybe I should give the mediterranean diet a shot carmen? I don’t take any pro-biotics, but I do try to be good with my pre-biotics (try being the operative word haha). As jamielynn mentioned, I think plants are good, especially those high in the fibers. I’m not sure about like processed carbs though, and I eat a lot of that. Does anyone know?
According to common myth all carbs = bad. In my experience, I feel amazingly energized when I'm eating a high carb diet (mostly fruits, rice, potatoes, etc). Processed carbs on the other hand aren't going to be very beneficial to overall health and you definitely don't want to pair them with high fat intake.
I enjoyed listening to Dr. Johnston speak last Friday. I found his talk very interesting and informative. One thing that he mentioned though that caught my attention was the amount of money the military is spending on researching gut microbiota due to the impact it has on performance of soldiers. It was interesting to hear of the connection of gut microbiota to the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems as well as the impact that diet has on overall gut microbiota and the relation to whole body health. As Carmen said, the Mediterranean diet has been shown to have beneficial effects to gut microbiota which, to Jamielynn’s point, is probably due to the high produce content of the diet with most of the animal protein coming from fish and chicken. As far as Saher’s question goes, I agree with Floyd. I think that the amount of bacteria in the feces is close to that of the colon. It is not so much that the experimental group is retaining beneficial bacteria, but rather their gut is hospitable for a well-balanced variety of microbes that increase their quality of life granted that all of the data collected was accurate and the sample size was large enough.
I have to admit that I am skeptical towards dietary supplements, including probiotics. And not to mention one of the most well-known probiotic, yogurt, is icky. However, I did find Dr. Johnston’s lecture intriguing about the relationship between the microbiome and our health. I took Dr. Johnston’s Human Microbiome class last Spring where we were able to discuss the gut-brain axis as well as many other topics in detail. One thing I remember from the class is that microbiome research is not explored much and so I commend Dr. Johnston and his lab for stepping into unknown territory.
Saher, I agree with Floyd that the bacteria in feces reflects how much is growing in the gut so if more is found in the feces then more can be assumed to also be inhabiting the gut. Jamielynn, you still have to pick a vegan meal you’d like for me to make . I admire your devotion to a healthy plant-based diet because I am not strong enough. It’s the cheese. Can’t give the stuff up. Floyd, I found an article in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that deals with the link between refined sugars and T2D. In the article is states that processing whole grains into white flour actually increases the caloric density by > 10%, reduces the amount of dietary fiber by 80%, and reduces the amount of dietary protein by almost 30%. Refining removes many of the main ingredients, leaving a dietary substance that is nearly pure starchy carbohydrate with fewer nutrients. But it tastes so good!
I have been recently interested in possible temporary effects of cortisol on the gut. Every time I get really stressed I feel extreme discomfort in my gut. Initially I thought inflammation may be causing my discomfort since it is thought to play a major role in gastrointestinal diseases like Crohn’s disease. But the stress hormone cortisol has anti-inflammatory properties which opposes my inflammation hypothesis. Does anyone else ever have intestinal symptoms when they are stressed?
The message I took home from Dr. Johnston’s talk is that diet affects gut microbe biodiversity as well as health. Probiotics produce short-chain fatty acids that prevent intestinal leakage and attenuate dysbiosis, which fights against gastrointestinal, neurological, pulmonary, and cardiovascular disease. If unaddressed, the cascading effects of low gut bacteria biodiversity can cause inflammation and lead to more severe problems like irritable bowel syndrome and Crohn’s disease. Further, low biodiversity may also result in pulmonary problems, gout, alzheimer’s, or multiple sclerosis.
Playing devil’s advocate, I’m less convinced that a healthy microbiome influences stress, though. The results from Dr. Johnston’s project indicate that while probiotics increase lactobacillus abundance in humans, they have no effect on cortisol levels. Perhaps Jamielynn is right about revisiting experimental design, and Dr. Johnston did briefly address that participants may have become accustomed to the stress test. There must be some way to induce a stress response using different stressors that could preclude anticipation and produce more ‘real’ results. I think they should be put through different activities of the “type 2 fun” variety.
I found Dr. Johnston's presentation to be highly engaging since I am a big believer in probiotics. The most interesting part of the presentation is Dr. Johnston relating how the microbiome in the gut is linked to so many different areas of the human body. Healthy bacteria in our gut can positively influence us in ways we are unware of. Like Carmen, I take a daily live probiotic in a supplement form that contains several different types of bacteria. The main reason is that a healthy gut has been linked to improved allergies, which I have suffered from since a young age. A healthy gut improves the body’s immunity and defense mechanisms which help with inflammation from allergies. However, I agree with Kylie and am still a bit unconvinced a healthy gut can help with stress levels. I do believe probiotics can improve our body system functioning, but still think there needs to be further investigation on how it would directly alter cortisol levels. A new experimental design could help to get more clear results.
I took Dr. Johnston’s Human Microbiome course 2 years ago, at which point there was very little investigation into the gut-brain axis and many of these concepts which have been significantly investigated now. Since taking that course, the primary literature available on the human microbiome has increased substantially, which is quite refreshing. I do believe that the gut microbiome is an important subject worthy of much more investigation, and I think that the human microbiome will one day be considered either an independent organ system, or consolidated with the immunological and gastrointestinal organ systems.
Since being first exposed to these concepts in that course, I have been particularly interested in the microbiome’s interaction with our immune cells, and its role in the development of a healthy immune system. I think that further investigation will provide key insights into some areas of immunity which are, as of yet, incompletely understood. Perhaps the microbiome will be found to be pivotal in the development of autoimmune disorders or chronic inflammation of gastrointestinal tract. Only time will tell.
As for Saher’s question, I agree with Floyd and John in that the species and amounts of bacteria in the feces are representative of those in the colon, and that the control group experienced changes in significant species such as the lactobacilli. I also agree with many of the above statements regarding the experiment design. It seems almost as though the investigators rushed to finish the study. It looks like larger sample sizes and more consideration of the manipulations related to the subjects’ stress might have yielded more conclusive results. In any case, I think we can all agree that further investigation into these topics is highly warranted, and that we can expect to see much more literature in the coming years.
So, since it looks like Saher took on the role of seminar scribe this week, and most everyone replied before I was able to post, I propose that Saher's scribing duty be considered completed. I will be the scribe for Saher's previously determined assignment, the April 20th seminar. Does anyone object to this?
In my opinion, it’s the scribe’s duty to ensure that adequate discussion occurs on his or her assigned topic. I think this thread is a good discussion, so I think your obligation has been fulfilled, regardless of its who began it. I think it would be easier to keep track of who did what if we stick to the scribe posting first, but I know there were some technical issues this week. I would double check with Dr. Cooper, but either way is good with me.
You bring forward some excellent points, Floyd. This is one of the larger seminar blog threads, and there has been a lot of discussion generated. I'll check with Dr. Cooper to see what he thinks.
Dr. Johnson's work on probiotic in relation to Gut-Brain axis is splendid and highly promising to treat cognitive decline. He mentioned some beneficial gut microbiota such as bacteroides and bifidobacteria that provide Physiological bidirectional complex network of communication between the brain and the gut hence maintaining the structure and the role of gastrointestinal tract. However, more research should be done on probiotic as an immunity booster to create a chance for natural immunity
I found Dr. Johnston’s presentation to be very informative about the human microbiome. The gut brain axis was a topic that caught my attention. The aspect of having this two-way communication between your gut and brain is very interesting. When experiencing a stomach ache or intestinal issues, my mood and behaviors are always altered. This makes me think about when eating a healthy meal full of vegetables and protein, you feel energized and good versus eating a McDonalds cheeseburger and feeling sluggish. I was unaware of the research done on this topic and I am furthermore interested in learning more about it.
Dr. Johnston brought up the effect many diets have on our gut microbiome, including artificial and natural sugars. I have experience with cutting out sugars and sweeteners from my diet. In doing so I have noticed a positive impact on my overall health. I suffered from extreme migraines and since leaving out artificial and added sugars I have noticed a huge decline in these migraines. This has also helped with my facial acne and eczema. Overall, I believe our bodies can highly benefit from a healthy gut.
Dr. Johnson's presentation was very interesting. He first brought up a point that probiotic's are known to be directly connected with the immune system. As a student with MS I was intrigued by this statement and was fascinated to learn more. The question I spoke about during the presentation was broken down into to. Since MS is unknown and other auto immune diseases are also unknown I wonder if autoimmune diseases could be caused from an unbalance in your Microbiome. One main thing that has shown to slow down progress in autoimmune diseases is the Mediterranean diet. This also like mentioned above has a correlation with probiotics.
Like stated during the presentation, do people who have autoimmune diseases that take immunosuppressant drugs need to take some sort of pill to balance out the immunosuppressant drug? Since your immune system is reduced because of the suppressant and probiotics are directly connected to your immune system, you should see some sort of effect on your natural probiotics. Does everyone think this could be a factor in developing autoimmune diseases?
America as a whole has had their diets greatly change in a bad way. With all of these fast food dependent people and the way we as a country developed other process foods, it should have an effect on the gut microbiome. We can tell America as a whole has a diet issue with the fact that the number one leading death is heart disease. Recently we have had a rise in autoimmune diseases and the cause of this could be associated with our poor diets.
I thought Dr. Johnston's presentation was very interesting and informative. What caught my attention the most was how different diets have various effects on our gut microbiomes and overall health. I was quite interested to learn that things such as artificial sweeteners and animal fat/proteins are not particularly healthy for the microbiome in comparison to natural sugars and leaner diets. I've noticed that when I eat too much fast food, corn-fed animals (e.g., corn-fed beef), and refined sugar, my digestive system (and body overall) feels unsettled, unhealthy, and icky. However, the opposite occurs with my digestive system when I eat healthier. It is interesting that our gut microbiomes have an impact on this. What is also interesting to me is the gut microbiome's association with stress. In response to Saher's question, I agree with John in that the healthier individuals that had less stress have a better balanced and overall healthier gut microbiome compared to the controls. The controls also probably had less balanced microbes in their gut. This indicates that, along with a healthy diet, lower stress levels can lead to a healthier gut microbiome.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteDr. Johnston's study aimed to investigate the effects of OTC probiotics consumption on the GI microbiome bacteria community composition, structure and diversity during and after a short-term period (60 days) and also the levels of stress. One of the significant results showed decrease in stress levels in experimental individuals. Fecal assays received from the individuals showed the control group had high number of bacteria that were given in probiotics. Does that mean experimental group was able to retain more species of bacteria in their gut and not excrete out?
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed Dr. Johnston's presentation. I found it very interesting to learn about the affects of diet and probiotics on health and the correlation between the brain and gut. I have always been curious about probiotics. Personally, I drink a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar (a source of probiotics) mixed with water every morning due to its health benefits. Some people take it for weight loss. I take it to keep my gut bacteria balanced which in turn helps my skin stay clear. In general, I feel like my body has been positively impacted by it. Does anyone else take any probiotics?
ReplyDeleteAlso, Dr. Johnston mentioned the health benefits of the Mediterranean diet. Being of Mediterranean origin, I agree that our diet is healthy and that probably makes sense as to why Mediterranean people, like John and myself, are so happy and kind (because according to Dr. Johnston, diet affects mental health)!
I take a shot of apply cider vinegar almost every morning (when I remember to!) and I have also noticed it help with my skin. I recently got into drinking kombucha, fermented tea drink that also contains probiotics, which is said to help rebalance gut bacteria, help with digestion and metabolism. I am a fan of it!
DeleteDr. Johnston's presentation was interesting in terms of the gut-brain axis as well as the study performed by his previous grad student on the effects of applied probiotics. Going off of Carmen's observation of the Mediterranean diet; Dr. Johnston also mentioned a diet very close to my heart - veganism. Research such as the China Study by T. Colin Campbell and similar large scale studies have shown statistically significant correlations between diets high in animal protein and "diseases of affluence" such as heart disease, cancer, depression, etc. that we see on a Standard American Diet in comparison to regions of the world consuming less animal protein and more plant based protein. This is also supported by studies that show increases of healthy bacteria in the gut through plant protein when considering the gut-brain axis.
ReplyDeleteTo respond to Saher's question, the experimental group showed an increase in lactobacillus during probiotic intake while the control group did not show significant change in lactobacillus community. The theory being here that probiotics encourage a healthy gut microbiome. Though it seemed there were no statistically significant changes in cortisol in reference to the gut-brain axis, I think changes in experimental design could provide more reliable data.
I’m pretty interested in microbe balance and colorectal tumorigenises. Dr. Johnston talked a lot about dysbiosis of the gut microbiome resulting in inflammation. Specifically, I know microbe associated molecular patterns (MAMPs) from specific bacteria can activate toll-like receptors (TLRs), but also nod-like receptors and inflammasomes, which can result in a ton of negative consequences, secondarily brought on by immune reaction. For example, immune activation might result in production of chemokines and/or cytokines which initiate a cellular signaling cascade and ultimately results in either enhanced proliferation or hindered apoptosis, the hallmarks of cancer.
ReplyDeleteAdditionally, dysbiosis may cause increased production of harmful microbe metabolites (I think Dr. Johnston referred to them as “post-biotics”). An increase in reactive oxygen/nitrogen species, acetylaldehyde, nitrosamines, dihydrogen sulfide, etc. produced by microbes can directly damage host cell DNA, and the resulting genotoxicity can lead to decreased effectiveness in the host cells’ natural ability to regulate growth and anchorage.
I don’t know exactly how prevalent colorectal cancer is, but I know it’s one of the major cancers. It’s so interesting to think perhaps it's not so much the food we eat (we always hear about the risk factors red meats and alcohol) affecting our cells, but how that food affects bacteria, which then affect our cells.
Saher, I’m just guessing but I think the presence of microbes in feces is directly proportional to their presence in the colon (if it is excreted, there is still a lot more in the gut). I’m thinking maybe I should give the mediterranean diet a shot carmen? I don’t take any pro-biotics, but I do try to be good with my pre-biotics (try being the operative word haha). As jamielynn mentioned, I think plants are good, especially those high in the fibers. I’m not sure about like processed carbs though, and I eat a lot of that. Does anyone know?
According to common myth all carbs = bad. In my experience, I feel amazingly energized when I'm eating a high carb diet (mostly fruits, rice, potatoes, etc). Processed carbs on the other hand aren't going to be very beneficial to overall health and you definitely don't want to pair them with high fat intake.
DeleteI enjoyed listening to Dr. Johnston speak last Friday. I found his talk very interesting and informative. One thing that he mentioned though that caught my attention was the amount of money the military is spending on researching gut microbiota due to the impact it has on performance of soldiers. It was interesting to hear of the connection of gut microbiota to the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems as well as the impact that diet has on overall gut microbiota and the relation to whole body health. As Carmen said, the Mediterranean diet has been shown to have beneficial effects to gut microbiota which, to Jamielynn’s point, is probably due to the high produce content of the diet with most of the animal protein coming from fish and chicken. As far as Saher’s question goes, I agree with Floyd. I think that the amount of bacteria in the feces is close to that of the colon. It is not so much that the experimental group is retaining beneficial bacteria, but rather their gut is hospitable for a well-balanced variety of microbes that increase their quality of life granted that all of the data collected was accurate and the sample size was large enough.
ReplyDeleteI have to admit that I am skeptical towards dietary supplements, including probiotics. And not to mention one of the most well-known probiotic, yogurt, is icky. However, I did find Dr. Johnston’s lecture intriguing about the relationship between the microbiome and our health. I took Dr. Johnston’s Human Microbiome class last Spring where we were able to discuss the gut-brain axis as well as many other topics in detail. One thing I remember from the class is that microbiome research is not explored much and so I commend Dr. Johnston and his lab for stepping into unknown territory.
ReplyDeleteSaher, I agree with Floyd that the bacteria in feces reflects how much is growing in the gut so if more is found in the feces then more can be assumed to also be inhabiting the gut. Jamielynn, you still have to pick a vegan meal you’d like for me to make . I admire your devotion to a healthy plant-based diet because I am not strong enough. It’s the cheese. Can’t give the stuff up. Floyd, I found an article in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that deals with the link between refined sugars and T2D. In the article is states that processing whole grains into white flour actually increases the caloric density by > 10%, reduces the amount of dietary fiber by 80%, and reduces the amount of dietary protein by almost 30%. Refining removes many of the main ingredients, leaving a dietary substance that is nearly pure starchy carbohydrate with fewer nutrients. But it tastes so good!
I have been recently interested in possible temporary effects of cortisol on the gut. Every time I get really stressed I feel extreme discomfort in my gut. Initially I thought inflammation may be causing my discomfort since it is thought to play a major role in gastrointestinal diseases like Crohn’s disease. But the stress hormone cortisol has anti-inflammatory properties which opposes my inflammation hypothesis. Does anyone else ever have intestinal symptoms when they are stressed?
The message I took home from Dr. Johnston’s talk is that diet affects gut microbe biodiversity as well as health. Probiotics produce short-chain fatty acids that prevent intestinal leakage and attenuate dysbiosis, which fights against gastrointestinal, neurological, pulmonary, and cardiovascular disease. If unaddressed, the cascading effects of low gut bacteria biodiversity can cause inflammation and lead to more severe problems like irritable bowel syndrome and Crohn’s disease. Further, low biodiversity may also result in pulmonary problems, gout, alzheimer’s, or multiple sclerosis.
ReplyDeletePlaying devil’s advocate, I’m less convinced that a healthy microbiome influences stress, though. The results from Dr. Johnston’s project indicate that while probiotics increase lactobacillus abundance in humans, they have no effect on cortisol levels. Perhaps Jamielynn is right about revisiting experimental design, and Dr. Johnston did briefly address that participants may have become accustomed to the stress test. There must be some way to induce a stress response using different stressors that could preclude anticipation and produce more ‘real’ results. I think they should be put through different activities of the “type 2 fun” variety.
I found Dr. Johnston's presentation to be highly engaging since I am a big believer in probiotics. The most interesting part of the presentation is Dr. Johnston relating how the microbiome in the gut is linked to so many different areas of the human body. Healthy bacteria in our gut can positively influence us in ways we are unware of. Like Carmen, I take a daily live probiotic in a supplement form that contains several different types of bacteria. The main reason is that a healthy gut has been linked to improved allergies, which I have suffered from since a young age. A healthy gut improves the body’s immunity and defense mechanisms which help with inflammation from allergies.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I agree with Kylie and am still a bit unconvinced a healthy gut can help with stress levels. I do believe probiotics can improve our body system functioning, but still think there needs to be further investigation on how it would directly alter cortisol levels. A new experimental design could help to get more clear results.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI took Dr. Johnston’s Human Microbiome course 2 years ago, at which point there was very little investigation into the gut-brain axis and many of these concepts which have been significantly investigated now. Since taking that course, the primary literature available on the human microbiome has increased substantially, which is quite refreshing. I do believe that the gut microbiome is an important subject worthy of much more investigation, and I think that the human microbiome will one day be considered either an independent organ system, or consolidated with the immunological and gastrointestinal organ systems.
ReplyDeleteSince being first exposed to these concepts in that course, I have been particularly interested in the microbiome’s interaction with our immune cells, and its role in the development of a healthy immune system. I think that further investigation will provide key insights into some areas of immunity which are, as of yet, incompletely understood. Perhaps the microbiome will be found to be pivotal in the development of autoimmune disorders or chronic inflammation of gastrointestinal tract. Only time will tell.
As for Saher’s question, I agree with Floyd and John in that the species and amounts of bacteria in the feces are representative of those in the colon, and that the control group experienced changes in significant species such as the lactobacilli. I also agree with many of the above statements regarding the experiment design. It seems almost as though the investigators rushed to finish the study. It looks like larger sample sizes and more consideration of the manipulations related to the subjects’ stress might have yielded more conclusive results. In any case, I think we can all agree that further investigation into these topics is highly warranted, and that we can expect to see much more literature in the coming years.
So, since it looks like Saher took on the role of seminar scribe this week, and most everyone replied before I was able to post, I propose that Saher's scribing duty be considered completed. I will be the scribe for Saher's previously determined assignment, the April 20th seminar. Does anyone object to this?
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, it’s the scribe’s duty to ensure that adequate discussion occurs on his or her assigned topic. I think this thread is a good discussion, so I think your obligation has been fulfilled, regardless of its who began it. I think it would be easier to keep track of who did what if we stick to the scribe posting first, but I know there were some technical issues this week. I would double check with Dr. Cooper, but either way is good with me.
DeleteYou bring forward some excellent points, Floyd. This is one of the larger seminar blog threads, and there has been a lot of discussion generated. I'll check with Dr. Cooper to see what he thinks.
DeleteIt's ok with me to trade. Just please send me an email to confirm any "trades". Thanks!
DeleteDr. Johnson's work on probiotic in relation to Gut-Brain axis is splendid and highly promising to treat cognitive decline. He mentioned some beneficial gut microbiota such as bacteroides and bifidobacteria that provide Physiological bidirectional complex network of communication between the brain and the gut hence maintaining the structure and the role of gastrointestinal tract. However, more research should be done on probiotic as an immunity booster to create a chance for natural immunity
ReplyDeleteI found Dr. Johnston’s presentation to be very informative about the human microbiome. The gut brain axis was a topic that caught my attention. The aspect of having this two-way communication between your gut and brain is very interesting. When experiencing a stomach ache or intestinal issues, my mood and behaviors are always altered. This makes me think about when eating a healthy meal full of vegetables and protein, you feel energized and good versus eating a McDonalds cheeseburger and feeling sluggish. I was unaware of the research done on this topic and I am furthermore interested in learning more about it.
ReplyDeleteDr. Johnston brought up the effect many diets have on our gut microbiome, including artificial and natural sugars. I have experience with cutting out sugars and sweeteners from my diet. In doing so I have noticed a positive impact on my overall health. I suffered from extreme migraines and since leaving out artificial and added sugars I have noticed a huge decline in these migraines. This has also helped with my facial acne and eczema. Overall, I believe our bodies can highly benefit from a healthy gut.
Dr. Johnson's presentation was very interesting. He first brought up a point that probiotic's are known to be directly connected with the immune system. As a student with MS I was intrigued by this statement and was fascinated to learn more. The question I spoke about during the presentation was broken down into to. Since MS is unknown and other auto immune diseases are also unknown I wonder if autoimmune diseases could be caused from an unbalance in your Microbiome. One main thing that has shown to slow down progress in autoimmune diseases is the Mediterranean diet. This also like mentioned above has a correlation with probiotics.
ReplyDeleteLike stated during the presentation, do people who have autoimmune diseases that take immunosuppressant drugs need to take some sort of pill to balance out the immunosuppressant drug? Since your immune system is reduced because of the suppressant and probiotics are directly connected to your immune system, you should see some sort of effect on your natural probiotics. Does everyone think this could be a factor in developing autoimmune diseases?
America as a whole has had their diets greatly change in a bad way. With all of these fast food dependent people and the way we as a country developed other process foods, it should have an effect on the gut microbiome. We can tell America as a whole has a diet issue with the fact that the number one leading death is heart disease. Recently we have had a rise in autoimmune diseases and the cause of this could be associated with our poor diets.
I thought Dr. Johnston's presentation was very interesting and informative. What caught my attention the most was how different diets have various effects on our gut microbiomes and overall health. I was quite interested to learn that things such as artificial sweeteners and animal fat/proteins are not particularly healthy for the microbiome in comparison to natural sugars and leaner diets. I've noticed that when I eat too much fast food, corn-fed animals (e.g., corn-fed beef), and refined sugar, my digestive system (and body overall) feels unsettled, unhealthy, and icky. However, the opposite occurs with my digestive system when I eat healthier. It is interesting that our gut microbiomes have an impact on this. What is also interesting to me is the gut microbiome's association with stress. In response to Saher's question, I agree with John in that the healthier individuals that had less stress have a better balanced and overall healthier gut microbiome compared to the controls. The controls also probably had less balanced microbes in their gut. This indicates that, along with a healthy diet, lower stress levels can lead to a healthier gut microbiome.
ReplyDeleteEXCELLENT DISCUSSION THREAD!!!!!
ReplyDelete