gut bacteria

Anyone watching their waistline this holiday season may want to pay attention to what their gut bacteria are eating. It's not just calories that matter in a healthy diet -- it's fiber that resists digestion by the body but is readily eaten by bacteria in the gut. The amount of fiber in someone's...

A guardian gene that protects against type 1 diabetes and other autoimmune diseases exerts its pancreas-shielding effects by altering the gut microbiota. Experiments in mice born with the protective gene show that exposure to antibiotics during critical windows of development fuels risk for type...

Chemical signatures from gut bacteria which show up in urine can be used to predict how the body will respond to a 'junk' diet. Scientists have found that certain compounds, produced by microbes in the guts of mice, could be used to show which animals are at greater risk of becoming obese or...

A clearer picture of how the classic diabetes medication metformin works has emerged. A recent study at Sahlgrenska Academy and University of Girona indicates that the clinical effect -- control of blood glucose -- is achieved through modulation of the gut microbiota. "It is fascinating that it...

The billions of microorganisms living within the human digestive tract appear to play a significant role in health and disease, notably metabolic syndrome, autoimmune disorders and diabetes -- but how these organisms do so is not well understood. Researchers at the Buck Institute have used worms...