Gastrointestinal System

How our gut changes through our lifetimes, and how this determines our overall health

Date: May 21, 2015 Source: Norwich BioScience Institutes Summary: Scientists and clinicians have carried out the first detailed study of how our intestinal tract changes as we age, and how this determines our overall health.   This image shows the epithelial lining of the gut. Credit: Institute of Food Research and Univerisity of Siena Scientists […]

IBS: Is Peppermint Oil May Be a Treatment Option

05.18.2015 WASHINGTON — A slow-release peppermint oil (IBgard) appeared to significantly reduce severe abdominal symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), researchers said here. At 28 days, the number of severe and unbearable symptoms was reduced by 66% among patients taking peppermint oil compared with a reduction of 42% among patients on placebo (P=0.0212), reported Brooks Cash, […]

Definitive tests for irritable bowel syndrome developed

Millions of people afflicted by irritable bowel syndrome can now be diagnosed quickly and accurately with two simple blood tests developed by a Cedars-Sinai gastroenterologist. The tests, created by Mark Pimentel, MD, director of the GI Motility Program and Laboratory, confirm when a patient has developed IBS because of food poisoning, a major cause of […]

How to Cure Irritable Bowel Syndrome in a Few Days – Video

Welcome to the First House Call with Dr. Hyman! So many times, I get asked health questions—in my newsletters, on Facebook, on Twitter, by my patients, or when I give lectures. That’s why I’ve created House Call with Dr. Hyman. It’s a Q&A with me once a week. I’m inviting you to send your questions, […]

Leaky Gut – The Syndrome Linked to Many Autoimmune Diseases

by Jill Carnahan, MD on July 7, 2014   “Leaky Gut” Syndrome Hyperpermeability or “leaky gut” syndrome is the name given to a very common disorder in which the cells lining the intestines become “leaky” due to inflammation. The abnormally large spaces present between the cells of the gut wall allow the entry of toxic […]

The Autism Enigma – Video

https://youtu.be/bJHetXfqaHU YouTube Link

How relaxation response may help treat two gastrointestinal disorders

A pilot study has found that participating in a nine-week training program including elicitation of the relaxation response had a significant impact on clinical symptoms of the gastrointestinal disorders irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease and on the expression of genes related to inflammation and the body’s response to stress. The report from investigators […]

Weight Loss Reduces Features of Fatty Liver

April 28, 2015 Weight Loss Reduces Features of Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis Gastroenterology TAKE-HOME MESSAGE In this study, 293 patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) were encouraged to make lifestyle changes over 1 year to reduce their weight. After 52 weeks, liver biopsies revealed that steatohepatitis had resolved in 25%, reductions in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease activity scores […]

Guidelines Not Followed in Testing for Acid Reflux

Kathleen Louden April 28, 2015 Nearly 38% of the upper endoscopies performed in outpatients with gastroesophageal reflux disease and low-risk dyspepsia do not adhere to current best-practice guidelines, according to new research presented at the Society of General Internal Medicine 2015 Annual Meeting in Toronto. According to the American College of Physicians (ACP), “inappropriate use of endoscopy […]

Regular Aspirin Use Is Shown to Reduce Gastrointestinal Cancers by 20%

News · April 21, 2015 PracticeUpdate Editorial Team April 19, 2015—Philadelphia—When taken long-term, regular aspirin use was associated with a modestly reduced overall risk for cancer, which reduction was driven primarily by a lowered risk for colorectal cancers. This result of a prospective study was presented at the American Association of Cancer Research Annual Meeting […]

Powerful Strategies to Eliminate IBS & Other Gut Issues

by Mark Hyman, MD Last Updated April 17, 2015 Last week I described a condition with symptoms so severe that you can’t leave the house, yet many doctors call it a “functional” or “psychosomatic” disease, suggesting it’s all in your head. Unfortunately, it’s a very real problem for the almost 50 million people — that’s […]

What Causes Acid Reflux? Learn the Cure!

What Causes Acid Reflux? According to Jonathon V. Wright, MD nearly 100% of patients with heartburn and gastrointestinal complaints do not create enough stomach acid. (1) This may seem odd to hear because we’ve been told for years that too much acid is the culprit for most GI issues like GERD, acid reflux and Americans […]

Connecting the Microbiome and Antibiotics to Obesity – Video

Eric J. Topol, MD, Martin J. Blaser, MD Disclosures April 13, 2015 See Video Interview Tracing a Path From Campylobacter to the Microbiome Eric J. Topol, MD: Hello. I’m Eric Topol, editor-in-chief of Medscape, and I am pleased to have Dr Martin Blaser join me for this One-on-One interview. Dr Blaser runs the Human Microbiome Center at New […]

Fatty liver may lead to a leaky gut

Liver injury in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis may lead to a leaky gut Posted on Fri, Apr 10, 2015 @ 09:22 AM According to new research published in Cellular and Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is associated with intestinal hyperpermeability, which may worsen liver disease. NASH is the more severe form of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease […]

Stomach Acid May Be Key Player in Bone Health

4/2/15 by Salynn Boyles Action Points Mouse studies may help explain the reported increased risk of osteoporosis and related fractures among long-term users of proton pump inhibitors, which are among the most widely used drugs on the planet. Note that the research showed that stomach acid helps the intestines absorb and transfer calcium to the […]

Antibiotics Raise Diabetes Risk via Gut Microbiota

Do Antibiotics Raise Diabetes Risk via Gut Microbiota? Liam Davenport April 01, 2015 People who take multiple courses of antibiotics may face an increased risk of developing both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, potentially through alterations in gut microbiota, conclude US researchers. The team, led by Ben Boursi, MD, a postdoctoral researcher in the department of […]

GI Problems More Common in Autistic Kids

03.25.2015 by Molly Walker Contributing Writer Action Points Note that this observational study demonstrated an association between autism spectrum disorder and maternally reported gastrointestinal symptoms. Be aware that the study’s reliance on maternal report could significantly bias the results. Children who were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) were more likely to have maternally reported […]

Elimination Diet – University of Wisconsin School of Medicine

Elimination Diet – University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health PDF Download This link was provided in this article: MY APPROACH to Nutritional Therapy for Irritable Bowel Syndrome Written by David Rakel MD, FAAFP

MY APPROACH to Nutritional Therapy for Irritable Bowel Syndrome

March 23, 2015 Written by David Rakel MD, FAAFP Overall, four questions can help guide nutritional therapy for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Question 1: What is the diet like? Some patients drink three pots of coffee a day or only eat pizza for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We don’t know if we don’t ask, and […]

The Utility of Biomarkers in Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Syndrome

The American Journal of Gastroenterology 110, 444-454 (March 2015) | doi:10.1038/ajg.2015.6 TAKE-HOME MESSAGE In this meta-analysis, researchers evaluated the diagnostic potential of biomarkers for irritable bowel disease (IBD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), finding that biomarkers did not differentiate patients with IBS from controls. The risk for IBD was ≤1% with C-reactive protein ≤0.5 and […]