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Updated on February 8, 2023
For a growing proportion of Americans, liver damage is a frightening prospect. The liver plays an important role in metabolism and detoxification, and patients with liver damage face debilitating symptoms and a significantly higher risk of death from liver failure. The increasing prevalence of liver damage is driven in part by lifestyle issues; the most common cause of liver damage in the United States is excessive alcohol intake, but a high-fat diet can also contribute to the condition, especially when it leads to obesity. Liver damage is also associated with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) and some of the inflammation-related pathological processes underpinning IBDs, such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, are linked to the development of liver disorders. Moreover, recent research indicates that the drugs used to treat IBDs, including immunosuppressants and biologics, can also lead to liver damage.
Regardless of the cause of the liver damage, the health risks are serious, spurring patients to look for ways to support normal functioning and protect against the development of cirrhosis. Unfortunately, depending on the cause of the liver damage, therapeutic options are limited, which has led to growing research interest in the field. Currently, one particular target of research interest is alcohol dehydrogenase, an enzyme found primarily in the liver.
Alcohol dehydrogenase is responsible for catalyzing the oxidation and reduction of various alcohols and aldehydes (organic molecules similar to alcohols, but with a slightly different molecular structure). That makes alcohol dehydrogenase a key player in the detoxifying processes that protect the liver from damage. More specifically, when high levels of toxins like alcohols, “unhealthy” dietary fats, and certain medications reach the liver, they can contribute to the production of free radicals that aggravate inflammation and directly damage hepatic tissue. The activities of alcohol dehydrogenase resist these effects and limit damage.
Emerging research suggests that curcumin, the active compound in turmeric, supports the activity of alcohol dehydrogenase in a way that helps maintain a healthy liver. Although clinical trials have yet to be conducted, there are several early studies in mice that offer key insight into the mechanisms through which all-natural curcumin supplements could provide protective benefits.
The first indication there might be a relationship between alcohol dehydrogenase and curcumin came in 2011 when a group of Japanese scientists published an article in the Proceedings of the Natural Academy of Sciences of the United States (PNAS) describing their discovery of the curcumin metabolic pathway in an intestinal microorganism. Intriguingly, the unique curcumin-metabolizing enzyme they found (which they called NADPH-dependent curcumin/dihydrocurcumin reductase, or CurA), bore a significant sequence similarity to well-known enzymes in the alcohol dehydrogenase family. This finding provided the first indication that it could be possible for curcumin to interact directly with the alcohol dehydrogenase enzymes in the human liver.
The strongest evidence for a direct relationship between curcumin and alcohol dehydrogenase, however, came in 2013, when a group of researchers from several universities in South Korea collaborated on an effort to investigate the protection that low doses of curcumin could provide against liver damage caused by chronic alcohol intake and a high-fat diet. To explore this question, they treated mouse models on high-alcohol, high-fat diets with two different doses of curcumin (0.02 percent and 0.05 percent body weight) for six weeks. At both levels, they observed significant effects. In addition to reducing the activity of the enzymes known to contribute to liver damage, the curcumin supplements restricted the alcohol-induced inhibition of alcohol dehydrogenase activity to a statistically significant degree. Notably, curcumin supplementation also led to significant declines in plasma levels of leptin, free fatty acids, and triglyceride levels, all of which contribute to inflammation and liver damage. These results serve as preliminary evidence that by modulating key enzymes like alcohol dehydrogenase, curcumin supplements can effectively support liver health.
The results of the 2013 study were later supported by a paper out of George Washington University, in which the researchers again reported a connection between supplementary curcumin intake and liver damage in mouse models. Like the Korean researchers, the research team from George Washington set out to explore this connection by treating mice on high-fat, high-alcohol diets with curcumin, this time with supplements of 150 mg/kg/day, daily for eight weeks. At the end of the intervention period, they found that the mice in the treatment group were protected from ethanol-induced hepatic steatosis (that is, the accumulation of fatty tissue in the liver) and displayed lower levels of oxidative stress and liver injury markers (as measured in blood samples) than those that did not take the supplements. Thus, like previous researchers, they concluded that curcumin supplements can offer protection from liver damage.
Like the research community, more patients and practitioners than ever are intrigued by the hepatoprotective benefits that curcumin can provide, partially through its mediation of the alcohol dehydrogenase enzymes in the liver. For patients who are seeking to avoid the health risks of liver damage—whether it is associated with alcohol intake, dietary fats, medications, or inflammatory bowel conditions—a curcumin supplement might offer therapeutic benefits. In the future, clinical research will likely shed more light on the effects in humans, but for now, the animal studies suggest that curcumin supplements are worth exploring.
As patients and practitioners work together to develop a curcumin supplementation strategy to support liver health, it is important to choose a curcumin supplement with high bioavailability. Even though the Korean researchers reported that the mice in the study were treated with “low-dose” curcumin supplements, curcumin is well-known for low bioavailability, meaning it is poorly absorbed in the GI tract. This means its impact on the body can be limited by its formulation, even when it is taken in higher amounts. To maximize the likelihood that a curcumin supplement will be absorbed, metabolized, and provide the desired protective benefits, patients and practitioners should therefore look for curcumin supplements that are specifically designed for optimal bioavailability.
The power of Tesseract supplements lies in enhancing palatability, maximizing bioavailability and absorption, and micro-dosing of multiple nutrients in a single, highly effective capsule. Visit our website for more information about how Tesseract’s products can help support your hepatic health.*
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Updated on February 2, 2023
Nearly one million U.S. adults suffer from ulcerative colitis (UC) and experience a host of symptoms that can significantly diminish quality of life. In severe cases, UC can even be life-threatening. With no known cure and an unclear etiology, UC presents major challenges, and many patients struggle to find durable relief from symptoms.
Although current ulcerative colitis therapies include traditional small molecule drug therapies, biologics and biosimilars, nutritional supplements, and lifestyle modifications, the relative effectiveness of each option varies depending on the patient. Additionally, most conventional drug therapies for ulcerative colitis are designed to address only the symptoms of UC—and many come along with debilitating side effects—while leaving its root mechanisms unaddressed. However, in recent years, there has been increasing research interest in potential therapies that directly target the underlying causes of UC symptoms to more fully alleviate gastrointestinal distress. As a result of these investigations, in early 2017 a team of Australian researchers introduced multidonor fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) as a novel therapy. The research team’s paper provides insight into the effectiveness of this intriguing UC supportive therapy, as well as shedding new light on why certain nutritional supplements might also be effective.
In March 2017, a group of researchers from the University of South Wales in Australia published a groundbreaking study in The Lancet on multidonor FMT, in which fecal samples from multiple healthy patients were transplanted into the colon of patients with active ulcerative colitis. The impetus for the study was the growing recognition of the role of microbiome composition in the pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis. The researchers hypothesized that transplanting fecal microbiota from multiple donors might alter the gut microbiota of patients with ulcerative colitis, which would ideally have measurable functional effects. In a randomized, placebo-controlled study of a sample population of 85 patients at three Australian hospitals, the researchers successfully demonstrated that multidonor FMT could accomplish both aims: changing the composition of the gut microbiome and increasing the likelihood of remission.
After the transplantations, the researchers used shotgun metagenomics to analyze the microbial composition of the patients’ gastrointestinal tracts. Not only did they find a significant rise in the diversity of the gut microbiota in the treatment group compared to the control group (who had received a placebo), there were also noticeable shifts in the prevalence of certain bacterial taxa. Significantly, a number of these changes were clearly correlated with clinical outcomes.
One of the study’s key findings was that multidonor FMT results in a shift in the dominant bacteria in the gut microbiome from the genus Bacteroides to Prevotella. These are both genera of bacteria normally present in the gut, although their prevalence can vary. Although the implications of this shift after multidonor FMT are not fully clear, it opened an exciting new avenue for exploration. The authors also observed that the presence of bacteria from the phylum Firmicutes were loosely correlated with symptom remission. This included bacteria from the genus Lachnospiraceae, a genus that other studies have associated with the production of butyrate, a substance that plays a wide range of essential roles in the body. There were also several bacterial genera correlated with a lack of remission. Although it is unclear why these specific genera are not associated with remission, the researchers did note that many are involved in heme biosynthesis.
It is well-understood that the metabolic activities of gut bacteria play a key role in the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, having both positive and negative impacts. Notably, the researchers found that changes in global bacterial metabolic function after FMT are also correlated with remission or lack thereof. Specifically, the results indicate that a rise in bacterial heme biosynthesis after FMT is associated with a lack of remission, while starch degradation activity and short-chain fatty acid production are correlated with benefits for ulcerative colitis patients.
Multidonor FMT is not among the ulcerative colitis supportive therapy options widely available today. However, the results of the Australian study provide insight into some of the options that are available, including multiple nutritional supplementation options. Of particular interest is the key finding that symptom relief is associated with microbiome changes that facilitate short-chain fatty acid production. Although the breakdown of fibers by bacteria is the main source of short-chain fatty acid production in the gut, they can also be introduced in supplement form. In recent years, anecdotal evidence for the effectiveness of short-chain fatty acid supplements like butyrate has been growing, and they have become increasingly popular among patients. The results of this study provide rigorous evidence that the presence of butyrate in the gut is associated with beneficial impacts on symptoms, which builds a stronger evidence-based case for the effectiveness of butyrate supplements.
Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation is another ulcerative colitis supportive therapy that patients may want to consider. In multiple research studies, omega-3 fatty acid supplements have been associated with some of the same benefits the Australian research team found in patients who achieved remission after multidonor FMT, including an overall rise in microbial diversity and a shift in the prevalence of bacterial genera involved in butyrate production, such as Lachnospiraceae. Additionally, omega-3 fatty acid supplementation is associated with a decline in the prevalence of bacterial species within the genus Faecalibacterium, which are suspected to be involved in the exacerbation of UC symptoms.
In addition to butyrate and omega-3 fatty acids, probiotics and prebiotic supplements also help maintain the health of the gut microbiome. Like multidonor FMT, a probiotic supplement enhances the bacterial composition of the microbiome in UC patients. Meanwhile, prebiotic fiber supplements support the gut microbiome by introducing fibers that feed the “good” bacteria in the gut, giving them fuel to create beneficial metabolites like butyrate.
When considering nutritional supplements as a potential ulcerative colitis supportive therapy, it is essential to recognize the relevance of supplement bioavailability. Recent research indicates there is a wide range of factors that affect the bioavailability of supplements and therefore their efficacy. For individuals taking an omega-3 supplement, for instance, improper dosage and timing of intake might limit bioavailability, whereas bioavailability can be optimized when formulators alter lipid oxidation levels or add omega-3 fatty acids to supplements and functional foods in an emulsified form. For UC patients, finding a highly bioavailable supplement is particularly important because ongoing gut inflammation can interfere with nutrient absorption.
Despite the fact that ulcerative colitis remains poorly understood, it is clear from the latest research breakthroughs that the future is promising. Not only does the Australian study on multidonor FMT present a novel way to support remission in UC patients, it also sheds light on some of the nutritional supplements most commonly used by patients, helping to build on the anecdotal evidence by solidifying the research foundation for supplementation as a viable supportive therapy for UC. As researchers continue to investigate potential future therapies, particularly those aimed at manipulating the gut microbiome, patients and practitioners can take advantage of insights like these when considering the currently available therapies. Already, cutting-edge supplement manufacturers are developing more bioavailable supplements to allow UC patients to explore their potential therapeutic benefits. As a result, patients now have more and better options for creating well-tolerated multidisciplinary therapies and experiencing more relief from symptoms.
The power of Tesseract supplements lies in enhancing palatability, maximizing bioavailability and absorption, and micro-dosing of multiple nutrients in a single, highly effective capsule. Visit our website for more information about how Tesseract’s products can help support your gastrointestinal health.*
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Updated on February 2, 2023
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the most challenging gastrointestinal disorders to effectively manage because there is no single, clear cause that applies to every patient. Often, it is a “diagnosis of last resort,” when a physician simply cannot find another cause to explain the patient’s symptoms. These symptoms are often wide-ranging, can be opposing, and include diarrhea, constipation, abdominal pain, bloating, and flatulence.
Although there are a number of prescription IBS medications on the market, patient experiences and drug efficacy are mixed. As a result, many patients look toward home remedies to find greater relief than prescription options can provide. Although the targets of home remedies can vary considerably depending on patient needs, IBS home remedies with universal appeal focus on supporting the health of the gut microbiome, which can play a role in most IBS symptoms. Researchers who have studied the efficacy and mechanisms of home remedies have found that changes in both diet and exercise habits support the gut microbiome in IBS patients.
The earliest evidence that exercise supports the gut microbiome came from a study by a group of researchers in Japan who reported that running exercise alters the bacterial composition of the gut microbiome in rats. More specifically, these rats had higher gut concentrations of n-butyrate than their sedentary counterparts. The relevance of these findings for IBS patients was clarified in a 2015 study, in which researchers compared the microbiota of IBS patients to those of healthy controls. Based on more than 20 million 16S rRNA samples from patient fecal samples, the researchers found that IBS patients had significantly lower levels of microbial diversity—and, most notably, they had lower levels of the bacterial genera that produce butyrate. This disruption of the microbiome might be responsible for a range of IBS symptoms and dictate symptom severity. Although no human studies have yet associated butyrate production with exercise, the studies in mice help make a strong case for the potential of exercise to normalize butyrate concentrations in IBS patients.
More recently, researchers at Rutgers University also found that exercise altered the gut microbiome of mice—regardless of whether the mice were on a standard or a high-fat diet—and that the changes in microbial composition modulated both inflammatory markers and gut integrity in exercising mice. Because inflammation and intestinal permeability both have an impact on the symptoms of IBS patients, this study suggests that using exercise to strengthen the gut microbiome can be beneficial for patients through a variety of mechanisms.
There is also preliminary evidence from clinical studies supporting the possible benefits of exercise for IBS patients, including a landmark randomized clinical trial conducted by a group of Swedish researchers. They randomly divided a group of 102 IBS patients into a sedentary control group and a group who performed 20 to 60 minutes of moderate exercise, 3 times a week for 12 weeks. Symptoms were measured using an IBS Severity Scoring System, and the results showed there was a statistically significant reduction in IBS symptoms for the individuals who exercised compared to those who did not. Although the authors did not specifically probe the molecular mechanisms through which these benefits were conferred, the results showed that even a small amount of exercise could make a real difference for IBS patients.
Although exercise appears to hold significant promise for IBS management, dietary interventions might also offer meaningful symptom management. Although such strategies have traditionally focused on elimination diets that seek to identify individual “trigger” foods, researchers are increasingly investigating ways to address the underlying, pathophysiological causes of IBS. Many of these efforts focus specifically on improving the health of the gut microbiome.
The simplest studies have demonstrated the possible efficacy of both probiotic supplements and high-probiotic foods, like yogurt. Some studies suggest that targeted therapies focused on addressing specific microbial deficiencies might make a particular difference for IBS patients. For example, one study of 274 patients with constipation-predominant IBS (IBS-C) found that participants who ate a probiotic yogurt containing Bifidobacterium animalis had lower abdominal discomfort scores and a significantly higher number of bowel movements per week than participants in the control group, who ate a placebo. There have also been multiple studies suggesting that probiotic supplements containing B. infantis might be particularly useful for IBS patients, whereas studies on other probiotics have been less promising. Based on these studies, suggesting that the gut microbiota of IBS patients are different from those of the general population, it makes sense to focus on key, evidence-based probiotic options when choosing dietary probiotic-based home remedies for IBS.
Given the associations between IBS and butyrate, butyric acid supplements are also emerging as a potential dietary therapy. As an alternative remedy for IBS, butyric acid supplements are particularly appealing to clinicians and researchers because of their biochemical support—rather than the mixed, anecdotal evidence that underpins other botanical supplements that are purported to address IBS symptoms. Additionally, multiple clinical studies indicate the efficacy of butyric acid supplements for IBS patients. As of a 2017 review, two clinical studies had been conducted, and both yielded positive results:
Together, these studies provide strong preliminary evidence of the efficacy of sodium butyrate for patients with IBS when used in combination with conventional therapy. Future studies should probe the effects of the different forms of sodium butyrate that are available. In addition, studies should be conducted on larger patient groups, as well as those who have not yet been diagnosed with IBS. Going forward, it is also important to note that sodium butyrate is not the only possible solution for IBS patients. There are ongoing studies on a variety of pharmacological, dietary, and lifestyle interventions that might offer relief.
As far as home remedies for IBS go, there are, regrettably, no simple solutions. Still, rigorous research evidence supports the idea that targeting the gut microbiome—either with exercise, dietary modifications, and nutritional supplements—could be an effective solution for many patients, regardless of which type of IBS they have. These simple home remedies have the potential to address symptoms in IBS patients—the two key long-term goals of IBS management.
The power of Tesseract supplements lies in enhancing palatability, maximizing bioavailability and absorption, and micro-dosing of multiple nutrients in a single, highly effective capsule. Visit our website for more information about how Tesseract’s products can help support your gastrointestinal health.*
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Updated on February 8, 2023
For patients with Parkinson’s disease, one of the most challenging aspects is uncertainty. Because the progress of the disease differs significantly between patients, it is difficult to predict the timing of the stages and the severity of the symptoms. Moreover, patients and practitioners contend with the fact that the existing pharmacological therapies are insufficient for addressing all concerns: they vary in their effectiveness for individual patients, and most of them only offer relief for the motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. That leaves a wide range of non-motor symptoms untreated, including sleep problems, cognitive impairment, sialorrhea, and hypotension. Traditional pharmacological therapies also often have side effects that interfere with a patient’s quality of life. Because of these issues, more scientists are looking to nutritional factors that might aid in the effective management of Parkinson’s disease. One of the nutritional support supplements for Parkinson’s that has emerged as a viable possibility is quercetin.
Quercetin is plant pigment commonly found in vegetables, fruits, flowers, and herbs. As a flavonoid, it is well-recognized for its antioxidant effects and ability to support the body’s natural inflammatory response. Quercetin continues to draw the attention of the research community as more studies establish connections between antioxidant supplements and their neuroprotective attributes. Although clinical trials are still lacking, there have been several promising in vitro and animal model studies, which cumulatively suggest there are multiple mechanisms through which a quercetin supplement might benefit Parkinson’s disease patients.
One of the early animal studies indicating that a quercetin supplement could benefit Parkinson’s disease patients was published in the journal Neuroscience Letters in 2011. The researchers wanted to know whether taking quercetin might have an effect on dopamine levels in rat models of Parkinson’s disease, based on the fact that one of the most effective pharmacological therapies for Parkinson’s disease is levodopa—a chemical precursor to dopamine combats declining levels of dopamine, which interferes with the patient’s ability to control their body movements and contributes to a variety of non-motor symptoms. After 14 days of receiving quercetin, the levels of quercetin in the rat models had increased significantly, along with the levels of enzymes involved in key antioxidant processes that could provide neuroprotection. Importantly, these observations were also associated with better neuron survival in the rats. Thus, the researchers concluded that taking quercetin could aid in both the reduction of oxidative damage and neuronal loss associated with Parkinson’s disease.
More recently, in 2016, a group of scientists from Tanta University in Egypt conducted an animal model study that established a link between quercetin and another neurochemical pathway associated with Parkinson’s disease: autophagy. Autophagy refers to the cell’s metabolism of its own tissues. In scientific circles, although this cellular process is traditionally associated with starvation, scientists are increasingly recognizing its importance for neuronal homeostasis. Autophagy removes damaged organelles and aggregated proteins in brain cells that contribute to neurodegeneration, and it can even contribute to oxidative processes that stress the endoplasmic reticulum (a key cell organelle) to the point where a cell undergoes apoptosis (programmed cell death). Thus, nutritional support supplements for Parkinson’s that combat dysfunctional autophagy could potentially provide benefits with regard to disease onset and progress.
To explore the possibility that quercetin could play such a role, the researchers treated rat models of Parkinson’s disease with quercetin for four weeks. After the trial period, the researchers used DNA fragmentation to examine changes in gene expression, and they used histopathological analysis to assess observable changes in rat tissue. Like the researchers who conducted the 2011 study, they found that quercetin supplementation resulted in higher levels of dopamine and antioxidant enzymes. In addition, they observed increases in the levels of several key autophagy-associated proteins, including Beclin-1 and C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP). Notably, they also reported significant declines in the behavioral impairments displayed by the rat models of Parkinson’s disease. Based on these results, the authors were able to draw three conclusions: that quercetin could enhance the functioning of the autophagy pathway, that it could lower the risk of ER stress-induced apoptosis by acting as an antioxidant, and that it could benefit several of the known symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.
Quercetin is not the only compound that has been proposed as a possible alternative therapy for Parkinson’s disease. Over the last decade, a combination of epidemiological studies and preclinical studies have associated coffee consumption with a lower risk of neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson’s disease. While that’s great news for coffee drinkers, scientists and supplement developers are more interested in determining the specific component of coffee that provides neuroprotection. Many scientists point to caffeine, suggesting the compound aids in the management of several the motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease due to its effects on dopaminergic pathways. Indeed, caffeine can play a role similar to that of certain traditional pharmacological therapies that treat certain motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. However, many of these studies fail to explain the associations between coffee-drinking and the effects of caffeine on the non-motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.
In 2016, a group of researchers from the Kinsmen Laboratory of Neurological Research at The University of British Columbia proposed an alternative to the caffeine hypothesis: that it is quercetin in the coffee, not caffeine, that is reducing the risk for Parkinson’s disease. To explore this idea, the researchers examined how a number of different coffee components—including quercetin, caffeine, flavones, and chlorogenic acid—affected cell models of neurodegenerative disease.Through a series of in vitro studies, they determined that quercetin could limit neurotoxicity by restricting the damage to DNA, lipids, and proteins. This results in a rise in glutathione, a key compound known to protect against oxidative damage in Parkinson’s disease. Although caffeine did provide minor benefits, they were minimal compared to the significant impacts of quercetin. Thus, the researchers concluded that it is quercetin—not caffeine—that is the major neuroprotective component in coffee.
For patients and practitioners, there’s no denying that studying quercetin as a nutritional support supplement for Parkinson’s patients is still in its infancy. However, given that traditional pharmacological therapies are not effective for all patients—and generally fail to address non-motor symptoms—utilizing quercetin as a supplement in a highly bioavailable form could be a viable strategy. The evidence supporting its efficacy in the lab is strong, and it will be exciting to see how these results translate to clinical studies in the future.
The power of Tesseract supplements lies in enhancing palatability, maximizing bioavailability and absorption, and micro-dosing of multiple nutrients in a single, highly effective capsule. Visit our website for more information about how Tesseract’s products can help support your neurological health.*
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Updated on February 8, 2023
When many patients think about a Crohn’s disease diet, they think of the foods they can’t eat, because so many foods are viewed as triggers that can initiate or exacerbate painful and debilitating gastrointestinal symptoms. Although some elimination diets are supported by strong empirical evidence, it is important to recognize there are also studies indicating that certain foods are particularly beneficial for Crohn’s disease patients. When it comes to the management of Crohn’s disease, focusing on positive action—that is, emphasizing foods that patients can eat rather than limitations on the foods they should avoid—can be a more empowering approach for patients who struggle with seemingly intractable gastrointestinal symptoms for years. The latest research suggests that some of the best foods for Crohn’s disease include those high in fiber and those that combine probiotics with prebiotic fiber. In addition, there are nutritional supplements that can augment the nutritional benefits of these foods, making an even bigger beneficial impact on distressing symptomatology.
For Crohn’s disease patients, advice to eat more fiber might come as a surprise because physicians have been recommending low-fiber diets for decades based on the assumption that fiber potentially triggers and intensifies Crohn’s symptoms. However, the body of research suggesting the potential benefits of high-fiber diets has a long history and, relative to Crohn’s, is gaining traction within the scientific and clinical communities.
As early as the mid-1970’s, clinical evidence indicates that fiber does not harm patients. For example, in a 1985 randomized, controlled study of 70 Italian patients with Crohn’s disease, researchers found that switching patients from a low-fiber diet to a standard Italian diet had no negative effect on gastrointestinal symptoms and did not lead to intestinal obstruction, as some clinicians at the time would have predicted. Rather, it allowed the patients to enjoy more appetizing meals, and it also enhanced the overall nutritional content of patients’ diets. Still, only recently have researchers begun to take more seriously the notion of the benefits of a high-fiber diet for Crohn’s. The impetus for the research comes partly from observations that the incidence and severity of Crohn’s disease are on the rise in Western nations where processed foods are replacing high-fiber whole grains.
To explore the connection between dietary fiber and Crohn’s disease, researchers at the University of Virginia in 2014 conducted a randomized, controlled, single-blind clinical trial in which different groups of adult patients with Crohn’s disease received different instructions for dietary fiber intake. The control group was instructed to follow the traditional advice given to Crohn’s disease patients: stay hydrated and avoid whole grains, dairy products, and high-fiber foods on days when symptoms are particularly prominent. In contrast, patients in the intervention group were instructed to eat one packet of whole wheat bran cereal (which was provided by the study coordinator) and drink at least 48 ounces of unsweetened fluids daily. At the end of the four-week trial, the results were remarkable: not only did the patients in the wheat bran-inclusive diet experience no worse symptoms, they also reported better gastrointestinal function. Moreover, there were no significant rises in biomarkers for inflammation, indicating that fiber intake does not promote the physiological processes that underpin Crohn’s disease.
One hypothesis that possibly explains the benefits of a high-fiber diet for Crohn’s disease patients is that indigestible fiber is metabolized to butyric acid by gut bacteria. This should come as no surprise because butyric acid is involved in a wide range of inflammation-related processes that might affect the pathophysiology of Crohn’s disease. Indeed, some studies show that some populations of gut bacteria that produce butyrate, such as Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, are lower in Crohn’s disease patients. In a study in Japan in 2015, researchers conducted a small-scale, case-controlled trial in which a plant-based, semi-ovo-lacto vegetarian diet was initiated for patients with Crohn’s disease, with the goal of providing the limited population of butyric acid-producing bacteria with more dietary fiber to ferment. When patients started eating an average of 32.4 g of dietary fiber daily (within a 2,000 calorie diet) alongside a biologic drug, they achieved a short-term decline in gastrointestinal symptoms, as well as a 92-percent remission rate after two years. These results suggest that high-fiber fruits and vegetables could be some of the best foods for Crohn’s disease patients. The results also suggest that directly introducing butyric acid as a nutritional supplement might offer relief for Crohn’s disease patients by simulating a rise in butyric acid by key gut bacteria.
Although rigorous clinical evidence on the benefits of probiotics is lacking, there is still strong support for the notion that a diet that supports the health of the microbiome can address symptoms in Crohn’s disease patients. Some studies with supplementary probiotics indicate that introducing certain types of bacteria can ameliorate symptoms. There are also studies that show that fecal transplantation, which introduces new microbiota into a patient’s GI tract, can have significant positive results. Therefore, researchers have yet to fully abandon the idea that probiotic-rich fermented foods—like yogurt, kombucha, bean paste, and miso—are among the best foods for Crohn’s disease.
Intriguingly, one of the principles of the Autoimmune Protocol Diet—an increasingly popular dietary guideline for Crohn’s disease patients—is to combine foods high in prebiotic fiber with probiotics, an approach that has been shown to be more effective than supplementation with probiotics alone. In one study on the Autoimmune Protocol Diet, patients were encouraged to eat leeks and onions (two foods high in prebiotic fiber) alongside fermented foods, and after four weeks, all eight patients in the study reported positive results. Although this study was extremely small—with only eight Crohn’s disease patients taking part—the combination of prebiotic fiber and probiotics might be a promising strategy for patients who have not had success with probiotic-only therapy in the past.
Additionally, the results support an earlier 2007 study that suggested a therapeutic combination of a probiotic containing lactic acid bacteria and psyllium (a prebiotic fiber) induced remission in patients with active Crohn’s disease. Indeed, of the probiotic-containing foods and supplements supported by rigorous research, some of the most promising are those that contain lactic acid bacteria. Notably, lactic acid bacteria are known to produce butyric acid, the above-described multifunctional compound that supports the body’s natural inflammatory response. This association suggests that the benefits of these foods, like those of the high-fiber foods, might be mediated through the production of butyric acid by gut bacteria.
Although there are no definitive results on the best foods for Crohn’s disease patients, the evidence indicates that the most promising dietary options are to choose foods and supplements that support the health of the gut microbiome. By increasing the intake of cereal-, fruit- and vegetable-based dietary fiber, and by combining prebiotic fiber with probiotic foods, patients might experience short-term relief and maintain long-term remission. In addition, supplements that directly introduce butyric acid, which is otherwise produced when gut bacteria metabolize dietary fiber, might also have similar beneficial effects, so patients and practitioners might want to consider including this emerging supplement in their therapies.
The power of Tesseract supplements lies in enhancing palatability, maximizing bioavailability and absorption, and micro-dosing of multiple nutrients in a single, highly effective capsule. Visit our website for more information about how Tesseract’s products can help support your gastrointestinal health.*
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Updated on February 8, 2023
For patients with neurodegenerative disorders and their families, the possibility of effective management options provides a ray of hope in an otherwise challenging and frustrating situation. Medical professionals can offer advice about drugs and lifestyle changes that might help, but in many cases, the available therapeutics achieve only minimal benefits, and the “bad days” can increasingly outweigh the good ones as a disorder progresses. As a result, patients are continuing to call for the development of more and better therapies, and the research community is responding.
So far, researchers have developed a variety of pharmacological drugs that do help many patients manage their symptoms—including dopamine agonists, synthetic dopamine, anticholinergics, and enzyme inhibitors, among others—as well as non-pharmacological therapeutic options, such as brain training games, social stimulation, and physical exercise. Nevertheless, while many patients do respond remarkably well to these therapies, there are still some patients for whom the effects are only moderate, mild, or even nonexistent. There are also patients whose symptoms benefit from pharmacological therapies but who experience side effects that negatively affect their quality of life. Therefore, the quest for effective alternative strategies for the management of neurodegenerative disorders continues.
One emerging strategy is to use nutritional supplements to aid in the symptom management of neurodegenerative disorders. Although comprehensive clinical trials are lacking, preliminary research in animal models suggests there might be benefits to taking nutritional supplements that can modulate the gut microbiome or directly introduce metabolites of gut bacteria, such as short-chain fatty acids. Based on these early findings, practitioners and patients can now begin considering taking safe and effective nutritional supplements as a viable alternative therapy for the symptom management of neurodegenerative disorders.
One of the most intriguing studies on the potential benefits of nutritional supplements for the symptom management of neurodegenerative disorders was published in Nature Scientific Reports in May 2017. In this study, researchers from the University of Camerino in Italy examined the relationship between probiotic supplementation and the physiological and symptomatic manifestations of Alzheimer’s disease. Their work was premised on the notion that gut bacteria and their metabolites are involved in the regulation of several key neurochemical pathways, and the results of the study built on this idea by showing how microbiome modulation could directly benefit physiological signs of neurodegeneration in animal models.
The researchers conducted their study on mouse models of Alzheimer’s disease while the mice were in the early stages of the disease. They treated the mice with a novel probiotic formulation that included lactic acid bacteria and bacteria from the genus Bifidobacterium. The choice of these genera for the probiotic formulation is notable because both Bifidobacterium and lactic acid bacteria are known to be involved in the production of a key metabolite: butyric acid. Butyric acid is produced when bacteria in the gut metabolize fiber, and it thereafter plays a role in a wide range of bodily processes, including epigenetic regulation, energy metabolism, and the activation of critical protein signaling and communication pathways.
One of the most significant findings of the Camerino study is that the mouse models who took the probiotic formulation demonstrated significantly less cognitive decline than the controls. The researchers used two types of tests (novel object recognition and passive avoidance tests), both of which are widely accepted for measuring the functions of the hippocampus and the amygdala, the two parts of the brain implicated in the cognitive decline associated with neurodegenerative disorders. The researchers attribute the lack of cognitive decline in the mice who took probiotic supplements to restricting the brain damage and a reduction in the accumulation of amyloid beta aggregates—that is, the clumps of misfolded proteins that are a well-known hallmark of neurodegenerative disease.
The Camerino researchers elucidated a specific mechanistic explanation for the decline in beta-amyloid plaques. In the mice who took the probiotic supplement, they observed a partial restoration of the function of two proteolytic pathways that are impaired in mouse models of Alzheimer’s disease. Proteolytic pathways are pathways that degrade proteins, so when they are not functioning normally, it can lead to the buildup of amyloid beta aggregates, which can, in turn, contribute to the onset and exacerbation of neurodegeneration. Apparently, the probiotic supplement helped maintain the functioning of those two pathways, and the researchers linked this physiological result to the cognitive symptoms displayed by the mouse models.
The third important result of the Camerino study is that taking the probiotic had a modulating effect on the levels of inflammatory cytokines and neurodegeneration-related hormones in the blood. Inflammation is known to be an important factor in neurodegenerative disease progression, and the hormones they found are currently being considered by researchers as therapeutic targets for future Alzheimer’s disease therapies. Overall, taken together, the Camerino researchers’ results clearly suggest that probiotic supplements can have multiple benefits for patients with neurodegenerative disorders.
Although the results of the Camerino study provide significant support for the use of probiotics, they also suggest that other supplements might have a beneficial impact. In particular, butyric acid might be a potentially useful nutritional supplement for patients looking for a neurodegenerative disorder management option. The Camerino study shows that when the mouse models took the probiotic supplement, there was a statistically significant rise in the three short-chain fatty acids commonly found in the gut: butyric acid, propionic acid, and acetic acid. Ultimately, this came as no surprise, because (as previously noted), both lactic acid bacteria and Bifidobacterium are known to be involved in the production of butyric acid in the gut. However, the Camerino study offers new insight because it associates high levels of these compounds with physiological and behavioral improvements in mouse models of Alzheimer’s disease, suggesting that a direct introduction of butyric acid through a supplement might have the potential to produce similar results.As more studies like the Camerino study from 2017 enter the research pipeline, the relationships between the gut microbiome and neurodegenerative disorders will become increasingly clear. Clinical trials will also shed more light on the relative efficacy of different probiotic formulations and dietary supplements that contain butyric acid. Until then, patients and practitioners can consider both types of supplements as possibilities when exploring possible alternative strategies for the symptom management of neurodegenerative disorders.
The power of Tesseract supplements lies in enhancing palatability, maximizing bioavailability and absorption, and micro-dosing of multiple nutrients in a single, highly effective capsule. Visit our website for more information about how Tesseract’s products can help support your neurological health.*
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Updated on February 2, 2023
In recent years, a growing body of evidence suggests a close relationship between the gut-brain axis and behavior. In a 2017 review on the subject, experts in the field highlighted studies that implicate the gut-brain axis in modulating emotional responses, pain, social interactions, and eating behaviors. Scientists have also suggested that dysfunction in the gut-brain axis contributes to symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), depression, and even stress. Although researchers are still working to provide strong clinical evidence that connects the composition of the gut microbiome to the structure and function of the brain, there has been ongoing progress in vivo and in studies with animal models, which are motivating scientists to conduct clinical trials.
One of the landmark papers keeping researchers committed to the goal of understanding the relationship between the gut-brain axis and behavior was published in the high-powered journal Cell in 2013. This paper, which involved utilizing mouse models, suggests that autism-associated behavioral abnormalities are modulated by gut physiology. The data also implies that dietary supplements like probiotics and short-chain fatty acids, such as butyric acid, could offer effective therapeutic options for patients with ASD or other conditions characterized by similar behavioral abnormalities.
The 2013 Cell paper was the result of a collaboration between several research groups at California Institute of Technology and Baylor College of Medicine. The researchers premised their study on the observation that autism is characterized not only by behavioral abnormalities but also by gastrointestinal symptoms. Moreover, in the few years preceding the study, there was growing evidence that many autism patients had abnormalities related to their microbiota, which could contribute to symptoms related to both gastrointestinal motility and intestinal permeability. Even though the research community still has not identified a single characteristic microbiome “signature” that is common among all autism patients, there appears to be a clear connection between the gut microbiome and the GI symptoms of autism. The researchers who conducted this study took it a step further by determining whether the behavioral symptoms of autism might also be directly related to the gut microbiome.
They set up an experiment in which they created mouse models of autism and treated these symptoms with Bacterioides fragilis, a bacterial species found in the colon noted for its antibacterial properties and potential contributions to the body’s natural inflammatory response. The first part of the research involved the development of mouse models that display autism-like behaviors—including communicative abnormalities, anxiety-like behaviors, and sensorimotor problems—and they showed that these models also display abnormalities of the gut microbiome. This was consistent with the early recognition of the role of the gut-brain axis in patients with autism.
The next step was for the researchers to examine the effects of a B. fragilis probiotic supplement on the mouse models of autism. First, they showed that therapy with the supplement could restore increases in inflammation-associated proteins in the colon, thus mediating inflammatory bowel symptoms of autism. From there, they established there is a clear, measurable change in the microbiota of the mouse models after therapy with the probiotic supplement. And finally, they set out to test whether these physiological changes are associated with autism-related behavioral changes in the mouse models. Indeed, in the mouse models that took the probiotic B. fragilis supplement, the scientists observed positive outcomes on the following tests:
Based on these findings, the authors demonstrated that their mouse models showed the behavioral features of autism—and that oral supplementation with a probiotic B. fragilis supplement could diminish or even reverse these behaviors.
Certainly, a study in mouse models cannot be a true substitute for rigorous clinical research, although this paper does provide strong support for the conclusion that the microbiome does modulate both gut physiology and the behavioral symptoms of autism. The evidence also indicates that probiotic supplements, especially those containing B. fragilis, might be able to ameliorate the behavioral symptoms of autism in addition to the gastrointestinal problems.
When these findings are considered in the broader context of the research literature, they might also support the proposal that supplementation with short-chain fatty acids can help address the behavioral symptoms of autism. Short-chain fatty acids are multifunctional compounds that are produced when certain types of bacteria in the gut—including B. fragilis—ferment fiber that humans cannot digest. As more studies have connected short-chain fatty acids, particularly butyric acid, with both the behavioral and gastrointestinal symptoms of autism, short-chain fatty acids are increasingly being viewed as important regulators of the integrated gastrointestinal and neurological processes that comprise the gut-brain axis. Based on these findings, it is reasonable to conclude that higher levels of short-chain fatty acids—whether provided through a gut-modulating probiotic supplement or directly introduced with a short-chain fatty acid supplement—could potentially make a significant difference for practitioners and patients looking to address the behavioral symptoms of autism.
Although it’s been five years since the Cell paper was published, research on the gut-brain axis and behavior is ongoing. Therapies ranging from elimination diets to fecal microbial transfer have been proposed, and rigorous clinical trials are still needed to compare the effectiveness of the options and to determine how they might affect individual patients with diverse symptoms. As future clinical trials get underway, patients and practitioners might want to consider some of the possibilities that can provide results now, including specialized dietary supplements, that can potentially address behavioral health outcomes for individuals with ASD.
The power of Tesseract supplements lies in the proprietary science of proven nutrients and unrivaled smart delivery, making them the most effective for supporting neurological health and gastrointestinal health.*
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Updated on February 2, 2023
With an aging population, one of the most intractable problems facing the biomedical research community today is the challenge of developing effective therapy for neurodegenerative diseases. As researchers have explored various pharmacological, behavioral, and nutritional intervention options, curcumin is emerging as a potential therapeutic option for patients with these conditions. Long recognized for its ability to support the body’s natural inflammatory response and antioxidant activities, scientists have hypothesized that curcumin might be able to modulate the inflammatory response and free radical damage associated with a number of neurodegenerative diseases. There is also evidence that curcumin can modulate multiple target proteins in pathways associated with the pathogenesis of conditions such as dementia.
However, until recently, the most promising studies suggesting the potential benefits of curcumin were conducted in vitro and in animal models, while the results of clinical trials were mixed at best. Indeed, in a 2017 review paper published in the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, researchers concluded that, based on more than 120 clinical trials on the potential role of curcumin in ameliorating several different diseases, there was no clear medicinal benefit to supplementation with the compound. However, the publication of a new double-blind, placebo-controlled trial on the potential benefits of curcumin for patients with neurodegenerative disorders is forcing the research community to take a second look—not only due to the strength of the results but also because of its focus on the bioavailability of curcumin supplements.
In March 2018, The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry published the groundbreaking study, which was conducted by a group of researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles. The study stood out from previous neurodegenerative disease research on curcumin for three reasons: it was a long-term clinical trial (lasting a total of 18 months), it was both double-blinded and placebo-controlled, and it involved a bioavailable form of curcumin. The researchers’ setup directly sidestepped some of the criticisms of previous clinical trials, such as non-randomization, lack of a control group, and short-term time frames, which lends credence to this study over previous research in the field.
To test the potential benefits of using curcumin to address neurodegenerative disease, specifically dementia, the researchers recruited 40 subjects between the ages of 51 and 84 who did not show significant signs of dementia. They were randomized into two groups: the treatment group (21 patients) received 90 mg of a bioavailable form of curcumin, twice-daily for 18 months, while the control group (19 patients) took no supplement. After the 18-month study period, the researchers examined the effects based on three tests for symptoms of dementia (a verbal memory test, a visual memory test, and an attention test), alongside PET scans of various regions of the patients’ brains, which measured the amount of tau and amyloid plaque buildup—both known contributors to neurodegenerative disease.
The UCLA researchers reported that the patients in the treatment group demonstrated statistically significant improvements on each one of the three tests for symptoms of dementia, while those in the control group showed no clear change over the course of the 18-month study. These changes were directly associated with statistically significant changes in tau and amyloid plaque buildup in the patients who took the bioavailable curcumin supplement. Before the trial, there was no statistically measurable difference between the two groups in terms of tau and amyloid plaque buildup in any region of the brain, but after the 18-month trial, the measured amount of tau and amyloid plaque buildup in the amygdala in patients in the treatment group had decreased. Also, while the amount of tau and amyloid plaque buildup increased in the hypothalamus in patients in the control group, it remained the same in patients in the treatment group. Notably, both the amygdala and the hypothalamus are regions of the brain associated with the modulation of mood and memory, both of which are affected by neurodegenerative disease.
The results of this study have significant implications for the future of neurodegenerative disease research. Not only do they suggest that curcumin supplementation might be able to protect against plaque buildup, but they also indicate that curcumin may limit existing plaque buildup. Even more remarkably, the study shows that brain changes were directly associated with measurable symptom changes in patients. Within the neurodegenerative disease research literature, there are relatively few studies that rigorously support such a direct connection between changes in the brain and improvements in scores on tests for dementia, so these findings truly stand out. Given that dementia is a complication associated with multiple neurodegenerative diseases, including both Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease, these findings on the buildup of tau and amyloid plaques present intriguing opportunities for future research.
One potential reason this clinical trial succeeded in demonstrating significant benefits of curcumin supplementation, despite the inconclusiveness of so much of the previous work in the field, is that the researchers used a highly bioavailable form of curcumin. Prior to the study, many researchers blamed the failure of previous clinical trials on the low bioavailability of curcumin, which results from the fact that the natural form of the compound is poorly absorbed, rapidly metabolized, and quickly eliminated. However, the researchers used a form of curcumin that is absorbed more quickly in the GI tract than traditionally formulated curcumin supplements, as demonstrated by blood samples taken at intervals after supplement intake, which meant that the curcumin could actually have an effect on patients’ bodies.
In recent years, researchers have been exploring a variety of possible delivery methods to enhance the bioavailability of curcumin supplements. The meaningful results of this study indicate that embracing such supplements can mean the difference between inconclusive results and groundbreaking findings with significant implications for the future of neurodegenerative disease research—not to mention research on other diseases where curcumin offers protective benefits and/or effectively address symptoms. As more researchers conduct studies using cutting-edge delivery methods, it will be exciting to see how the field progresses.
The power of Tesseract supplements lies in enhancing palatability, maximizing bioavailability and absorption, and micro-dosing of multiple nutrients in a single, highly effective capsule. Visit our website for more information about how Tesseract’s products can help support your neurological health.*
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Updated on February 8, 2023
Scientists and practitioners alike are increasingly cognizant of the fact that the characteristics and symptoms of autistic individuals must be considered as points on a spectrum rather than criteria that fall neatly within single categories. As a result, when the American Psychological Association (APA) revised the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) in 2013, one of the most significant changes between the previous version (DSM-IV) and the updated version (DSM-5) was the elimination of separate subcategories on the autism spectrum, such as Asperger’s syndrome, autistic disorder, childhood disintegrative disorder, and Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS). This broader understanding of autism should be taken into account when choosing between alternative therapies for autism, which are growing in popularity because conventional management strategies often fail to bring complete relief of symptoms. With so many options available—and so little scientific consensus on the effectiveness of the various alternatives—it is critical to consider a patient’s unique characteristics when choosing between therapies. This includes nutritional support for the gastrointestinal symptoms that so often accompany ASD.
To be diagnosed with autism, an individual must demonstrate symptoms within two domains of impairment—social communication and repetitive patterns of behavior—each of which includes a variety of specific criteria. The specific symptoms that fall within these criteria can vary significantly in both their nature and their intensity, from discomfort when meeting the eyes of a stranger to a complete lack of verbal communication. It is also important to recognize that autism-related symptoms go beyond the behavioral observations that practitioners make during the initial diagnostic process. This is especially true for gastrointestinal symptoms; according to one preliminary study from 2017, the prevalence of constipation might be as high as 45.5 percent in patients with autism, while the prevalence of diarrhea might exceed 75 percent. Combining data for all GI symptoms, the research suggests that up to 96.8 percent of autism patients experience one or more gastrointestinal symptoms. Thus, even though GI symptoms do not fall within the criteria for diagnosis, they are thus an important target for therapy.
One of the reasons every patient displays a unique set of symptoms is that the biological underpinnings of autism vary significantly between individuals. This becomes evident when considering what researchers today know about the genetic aspects of autism. In April 2017, a group of more than 40 researchers from all over the world (led by scientists at the Centre for Applied Genomics at The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Canada) collaborated on a study that involved the whole-genome sequencing of 5,205 samples from families of patients with ASD. Their work revealed several different types of mutations in patients’ DNA, including 73.8 de novo single nucleotide variants and 12.6 de novo insertions, deletions, or copy number variants in autism patients. Based on this research, they ultimately identified 18 new candidate autism-risk genes, a finding that built on previously knowledge about possible gene variants associated with autism. Ultimately, this research indicates that ideal therapeutic targets can differ significantly between autism patients.
To further complicate therapy development strategies, it is important to note that autism is not merely a genetic disorder. Rather, environmental factors and gene-environment interactions are also known to have a role in the etiology of each individual patient’s condition. Even similar gastrointestinal symptoms in autism patients might have different causes. For example, in some patients, their GI symptoms like diarrhea or constipation might be the result of an inflammatory bowel disorder like Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, or autism-associated ileocolitis. In other patients, their GI symptoms might arise from non-inflammation-related conditions, like disruptions in the health of the microbiome.
Given the diametric opposition of certain symptoms (like diarrhea and constipation) and the different biological and environmental factors underpinning individual symptoms, it is not a surprise that scientists have been unable to distinguish a single go-to therapy among the alternative therapies for autism. In fact, the effectiveness of the conventional therapies can be just as varied amongst patients; certain strategies work well for some autism patients, while having little effect on symptoms in others. In so many cases, it simply depends on the patient.
Although dietary changes and nutritional supplements are among the most commonly used alternative therapies for patients with autism, the clinical data suggests no single approach will work for every patient. According to a 2017 systematic review of the nutritional approaches to autism management, there is evidence that elimination diets (such as gluten free/casein free and ketogenic diets) can help, as can the introduction of camel milk, curcumin, probiotics, and fermentable foods. At the same time, the reviewers identified high-sugar diets, synthetic food additives, pesticides, genetically modified foods, highly-processed foods, and certain starches as possible aggravators of GI and/or behavioral symptoms. Nevertheless, because the evidence for individual options was limited, the researchers’ final conclusion was that more research is necessary.
However, even without a rigorous scientific consensus, practitioners and their patients can build on the preliminary research to narrow down the options for a particular patient, depending on what is feasible based on their symptoms and lifestyle. For example, if it is determined that a patient has an inflammatory bowel disease, an elimination diet that is designed to address inflammation—such as the Autoimmune Protocol Diet—might be an appropriate intervention. Alternatively, if inflammation is not a factor, then it could be better to add fermented foods to the patient’s diet to support a healthy microbiome.
Still, these dietary changes are simply not feasible for some patients and their families. Following a highly restrictive elimination diet can significantly disrupt everyday life to the point where some patients do not consider it worth the resulting symptom relief. On the other hand, some autism patients have the opposite problem—that is, a problem with adding foods that might ameliorate their symptoms. Studies show that some autism patients have heightened sensory experiences related to eating, which can render the addition of new fermentable foods practically impossible, even though it might support their neurological or gastrointestinal health.
In these cases, patients and families might want to consider nutritional supplements because these therapies can be easier for a patient to follow. Instead of fermentable foods, a probiotic or prebiotic supplement might be a good choice, because these kinds of supplements address deficiencies in the gut microbiome, which are associated with the neurological and gastrointestinal symptoms of autism. Similarly, a butyric acid supplement might help relieve symptoms for patients with microbiome-related symptoms; butyric acid and other short-chain fatty acids are involved in a variety of body processes associated with autism symptoms and might not be adequately produced by the gut bacteria in autism patients. For patients with inflammation-related GI symptoms, a curcumin supplement is another feasible alternative therapy. In fact, a supplement might actually be more effective than a dietary intervention because the latest formulations are designed to enhance bioavailability, making such supplements more effective for dampening the immune response and combating inflammation-inducing free radical damage in the gut.
Given the genetic and symptomatic diversity among autism patients, it is important for practitioners and their patients and families to recognize the therapeutic potential of a wide range of alternative therapies for autism. Although complementary therapies are certainly worth considering, it ultimately comes down to the specific needs of the patient, in terms of both the direct effectiveness of the therapy and the impact it has on the patient’s quality of life. A targeted, highly bioavailable supplement can be an easy way for practitioners to address the diverse symptoms of their autism patients without severe lifestyle disruptions like food restrictions and food introductions.
The power of Tesseract supplements lies in the proprietary science of proven nutrients and unrivaled smart delivery, making them the most effective for supporting neurological health and gastrointestinal health.*
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Updated on February 8, 2023
For individuals with allergic rhinitis and other allergic conditions, finding long-lasting, effective and well-tolerated therapies can be a major challenge. Although antihistamines can resolve common symptoms like sneezing, swelling, hives, and eye-watering, relief often comes at a steep cost; after taking antihistamines, many individuals experience dry mouth, dizziness, sleepiness, and other side effects that can be just as disruptive to daily life as allergy symptoms themselves. There are also certain allergy symptoms, such as photosensitivity and contact dermatitis, that do not respond well to antihistamines.
Because antihistamines do not offer the ideal solution for all patients, researchers are looking into alternative allergy therapy to create additional symptom relief without compromising quality of life. One promising natural option is quercetin, a flavonoid compound found in many vegetables, fruits, and flowers. Early research in vitro and in animal models has provided insight into the potential benefits of using quercetin as a natural alternative. Comparative studies also suggest that high-quality quercetin supplements might be more promising than other alternative allergy therapies currently on the market.
For years, scientists have recognized the wide range of potential health benefits of quercetin. These benefits stem from its antioxidant properties, as well as its ability to support the body’s natural inflammatory response. However, because comprehensive clinical trials are lacking, the specific clinical implications of quercetin’s unique properties are not fully clear. Still, in vitro and in vivo animal studies provide intriguing initial insights. A 2016 Japanese study, using rat models of allergic rhinitis, demonstrated that quercetin has the potential to address nasal allergy symptoms and promote molecular changes in nasal fluids associated with a dampening of the inflammatory response to common allergy triggers.
These findings were based on a week-long intervention in which the responses of rat models to varying dosages of quercetin were monitored and recorded. First, nasal allergy symptoms were induced in the rats through a well-established sensitization procedure. When the rats were introduced to nasal allergy-inducing challenges, the researchers counted their sneezing and nasal-rubbing behaviors during the first 10 minutes after encountering a trigger. Additionally, six hours after each challenge, the levels of three allergy-related neuropeptides (substance P, nerve growth factor, and calcitonin gene-related peptide) were measured. Not only did the researchers find that oral administration of quercetin addressed sneezing and nasal rubbing movements in the rats, they also reported statistically significant increases in all three neuropeptides. By combining molecular evidence with direct observations of symptom reduction in animal models, this study provides evidence that quercetin might be an effective alternative allergy therapy.
Of course, animal model studies do not always translate directly to humans, so patients and practitioners who are considering quercetin as an alternative therapy should explore different dosage and administration options. In the above study, the researchers found that the minimum dosage significantly benefit symptoms was 25 mg per kg of body weight daily. It is unclear whether a similar dosage would be needed for human patients, especially because some of the latest quercetin supplements are strategically designed to enhance bioavailability, which might make lower doses effective. Practitioners and patients should also note that the researchers only observed a significant impact on symptoms and neuropeptides after five days of quercetin supplementation. This suggests that a long-term, ongoing supplementation approach might make sense for patients who are considering quercetin as an alternative allergy therapy.
Like quercetin, disodium cromoglycate—more commonly known as cromolyn—has been proposed as a possible alternative allergy therapy for patients with allergic rhinitis and other allergic conditions. Cromolyn is considered a “mast cell stabilizer” because it works primarily by inhibiting the release of cytokines from mast cells. A mast cell is a certain type of immune cell in the blood, and these cells release cytokines, which are proteins that communicate with other cells to escalate immune response. Therefore, mast cell stabilization can help keep inflammatory processes from starting and/or progressing. So far, the results from preliminary, small-scale clinical studies on cromolyn are promising: the compound has few known side effects, and in controlled studies where the symptom-reduction effectiveness of cromolyn was compared to that of antihistamines, steroids, and placebo, cromolyn proved to offer the most significant benefits.
However, for allergy patients and practitioners who are exploring various alternative therapies, it can be helpful to look at studies that directly compare the options. In 2012, a research group from Tufts University conducted a series of in vitro experiments to explore differences in the effectiveness of quercetin and cromolyn for mast cell stabilization. Using cultured human mast cells, they found that quercetin was more effective than cromolyn for modulating the release of IL-8 and TNF—two cytokines that are both released by mast cells as part of the immune response. In addition, supporting the body’s natural inflammatory processes with quercetin was associated with inhibited NF-kappa-B (a protein involved in immune-related cell-to-cell communication) and lower calcium levels in the cytosol (which indicates that immune cells are not activated). Neither of these beneficial effects was observed in the experiments on cromolyn. Other researchers have also described the beneficial immune response activities of quercetin, including suppressing the production of other compounds by mast cells and inhibiting unnecessary antibody formation.
Not only does this research suggest that quercetin is a more effective mast cell stabilizer than cromolyn, it also indicates that a quercetin supplement is a better choice for patients with ongoing symptoms. In their experiments, the scientists from Tufts found that cromolyn only stabilized mast cells after they had been stimulated by a trigger and induced symptoms, whereas quercetin works prophylactically—that is, it displays its activity in the absence of a trigger, so proactive patients might avoid future symptoms. This finding is consistent with the results from the Japanese research group, which reported that the effects on rats were greater after they had been taking a quercetin supplement for at least five days. Based on these results, quercetin presents a promising natural alternative for patients and practitioners who are interested in nutritional supplementation for long-term symptom relief.
So far, results from clinical trials on alternative therapies for allergy patients, like quercetin and cromolyn, are limited. For instance, as part of their study, the research group at Tufts University included two pilot, open-label clinical trials on quercetin, and their findings suggest that quercetin might also address contact dermatitis and skin photosensitivity, especially when provided in bioavailable forms. However, tests were conducted on only 10 patients, and they only addressed two symptoms. In the future, larger-scale studies should provide greater insight into the specific benefits of natural alternative allergy therapies. Until then, patients and practitioners can draw from the preliminary findings to explore whether a supplement like quercetin might offer symptom relief for individual patients who are seeking such alternatives.
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