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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.*
Aggarwal BB, Harikumar KB. 2009. The International Journal of Biochemistry & Cell Biology. 41(1):40-59.
Darvesh AS, Carroll RT, Bishayee A, et al. 2012. Expert Opinion on Investigational Drugs. 21(8):1123-40.
Hewlings SJ, Kalman DS. 2017. Foods. 6(10):92.
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Nelson KM, Dahlin JL, Bisson J, et al. 2017. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry. 60(5):1620-37.
Small GW, Siddharth P, Li Z, et al. 2018. The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry. 26(3):266-77.
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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Article Summary:
An allergy is an adverse reaction or exaggerated response of the body’s immune system to foreign substances that are not usually harmful, such as environmental allergens, including pollen, dust mites, specific food items, medications, or insect bites/stings. Allergic reactions can vary in severity, from mild reactions, such as a runny nose and sneezing, to severe reactions, such as hives, shortness of breath, and swelling of the lips, tongue, and/or airway.
An allergic reaction is triggered by the activation of the body’s mast cells and basophils (a type of white blood cell). These cells release signaling chemicals, including histamine, that generate allergy symptoms. The standard approach to addressing an allergic reaction is to block the effects of histamine through prescription or over-the-counter medications, called antihistamines.
However, these medications are associated with adverse side effects, including drowsiness, dry mouth, and blurred vision. Additionally, prolonged use has been linked to the adverse impacts of multiple physiological systems, particularly the nervous, cardiovascular, and gastrointestinal systems.
Quercetin, a flavonoid abundant in fruits and vegetables, has emerged as a natural alternative to help manage allergy symptoms. This blog post explains the potential of quercetin for allergy support and why you should consider adding an advanced quercetin supplement to your allergy care routine.
Quercetin is well known for its antioxidant activity—it scavenges free radicals to protect cellular components from the damaging effects of oxidative stress.* Quercetin also displays immunomodulatory effects, including:
Extensive research has explored the potential benefits of quercetin for allergy support. The following table lists several research studies that highlight the beneficial effects of quercetin for allergy support.
| Quercetin for Allergy Support | |
|---|---|
| Inhibiting mast cell activation* | Quercetin inhibits mast cell activation by inhibiting calcium influx, prostaglandins, and leukotrienes.*4 |
| Decreasing IgE-mediated food allergies | In an animal study, quercetin limited adverse peanut-induced allergic reactions.*5 |
| Inhibiting histamine release* | By stabilizing the cell membranes of mast cells, quercetin inhibits the production and release of histamine.*6 |
In addition to quercetin, other potential alternative therapies can address allergy symptoms, such as disodium cromoglycate, commonly known as cromolyn. Cromolyn is considered a “mast cell stabilizer” because it works by inhibiting the release of cytokines from mast cells. However, clinical studies indicate that quercetin is more effective than cromolyn in down-regulating pro-inflammatory cytokines, making quercetin a more promising candidate as an effective mast cell inhibitor.*7
Quercetin’s poor natural absorption and bioavailability impacts its efficacy as a nutritional supplement. Various approaches have been explored to enhance quercetin’s solubility, including nutrient-delivery nanotechnology, which has shown optimal absorption of quercetin through targeted delivery8.*
QuerciSorb® Immuphore SR, developed by Tesseract Medical Research, is an innovative nutritional supplement formulated with a highly soluble form of quercetin that supports healthy immune function.* Zinc (as zinc picolinate), vitamin C (as ascorbic acid), and vitamin D (as cholecalciferol) are also bioactive and bioavailable ingredients included in this hypoallergenic formulation that support the immune system’s optimal functioning.*
Tesseract’s proprietary CyLoc – DexKey® nutrient delivery technology achieves quercetin’s benefits for promoting optimal immune function.*
The resulting optimal absorption of each QuerciSorb molecule makes it a bioavailable reality, increasing the potential for quercetin for allergy support.*
The power of Tesseract supplements lies in enhancing palatability, maximizing solubility, absorption, and bioavailability, and micro-dosing a single or multiple nutrients in a single, highly effective capsule. Shop products on our website and learn more about how they support healthy immune function.*
References:
1Yanai K, et al. Curr Med Res Opin. 2012;28(4):623-642. doi:10.1185/03007995.2012.672405
2Miligkos M, et al. Pediatr Allergy Immunol. 2021;32(7):1533-1558. doi:10.1111/pai.13522
3Estelle F, Simons R. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 1999;83(5):481-488. doi:10.1016/s1081-1206(10)62855-4
4Chirumbolo S. Iranian Journal of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology vol. 10,2(2011):139-140.
5Shishehbor F, et al. Iranian Journal of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology vol. 9,1(2010):27-34.
6Thornhill SM, Kelly AM. Alternative Medicine Review : A Journal of Clinical Therapeutics vol. 5,5(2000):448-454.
7Weng Z, et al. PloS One vol. 7,3(2012):e33805. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0033805
8Altemimi, Ammar B et al. Nutrients vol. 16,5 636. 25 Feb. 2024, doi:10.3390/nu16050636
Updated on February 8, 2023
Diagnosing autism is a complex process that can take weeks or even months and depends heavily on the expertise of the clinician. This time-consuming and subjective process is driven by an absence of simple diagnostic testing; the physical, psychological, and behavioral symptoms experienced by patients with autism span a broad spectrum, and thus far researchers have been unable to identify a single peripheral marker that can be used to achieve diagnostic clarity. However, in recent years, research on autism and peripheral markers has expanded beyond the search for a single diagnostic test. Researchers have begun using peripheral markers to explore autism-related comorbidities and specific symptom manifestations in patients with the disorder. Of particular interest is a recently-developed blood-based peripheral marker that can be used to identify autism-associated ileocolitis. In the future, clinicians and patients might be able to use information from a test for this peripheral marker to develop an effective, patient-specific strategy for the nutritional support of gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with autism.
The association between autism and gastrointestinal symptoms is well-documented. Studies show that autistic children are significantly more likely to experience symptoms such as constipation, diarrhea, pain during defecation, abdominal pain, bloating, and food intolerance or sensitivity. In many cases, these symptoms arise from well-known inflammatory bowel diseases; according to one estimate, autistic children are 1.3 to 2.4 times more likely to be diagnosed with co-occurring Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis than children without autism. However, a significant proportion of the patient population suffers from a unique inflammatory bowel disease variant that only occurs in patients who have autism: autism-associated ileocolitis.
Ileocolitis is a type of inflammatory bowel disease that affects the ileum (the back end of the small intestine) and the colon (the front end of the large intestine). Like other inflammatory bowel conditions, ileocolitis can cause significant gastrointestinal symptoms, such as chronic diarrhea, abdominal cramping, weight loss/trouble gaining weight, and chronic fatigue. Although there is no cure, identifying this condition is important because it can help patients and clinicians develop an effective strategy to manage ongoing symptoms.
In 2016, a group of researchers from Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, published a study characterizing a blood-based peripheral marker for autism-associated ileocolitis. Prior to this study, the researchers had successfully used histological analysis—that is, a careful assessment of the patient’s gastrointestinal tissues—to distinguish between the gastrointestinal tissues of patients with autism-associated ileocolitis and tissues from patients with another inflammatory bowel disease, such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, as well as from patients who displayed gastrointestinal symptoms that were not associated with inflammation. In their initial work, the researchers developed a molecular profile of autism-associated ileocolitis, down to the level of gene expression, which offered both researchers and clinicians exciting opportunities to explore possible therapy options that could be uniquely effective for patients with ileocolitis-associated autism.
However, the researchers recognized that their original method for distinguishing autism-associated ileocolitis from other inflammatory bowel conditions was not feasible for widespread use in clinical settings. Their work had relied on diagnostic endoscopy to obtain gastrointestinal biopsy tissue, which is a difficult, expensive, and highly invasive procedure to perform on children. Therefore, the researchers set out to develop a peripheral biomarker that could effectively distinguish between autism-associated ileocolitis and other gastrointestinal conditions.
To accomplish this objective, the researchers collected samples from 21 children who were diagnosed with autism, experienced chronic gastrointestinal symptoms, and had histologic inflammation of the ileum and/or colon. For the control group, they obtained samples from 24 children without ASD who experienced gastrointestinal symptoms but did not have histologic inflammation of the ileum or colon. They then used principal component analysis (PCA) to compare the whole genome expression profiles of both groups of participants. Ultimately, they found 59 gene transcripts that were expressed differently in the children with autism-associated ileocolitis. Of these, nine gene transcripts were expressed in the peripheral blood of autistic individuals, making it possible to diagnose autism-associated ileocolitis with a simple blood test for these transcripts.
The therapeutic implications of the distinction between autism-associated ileocolitis and other inflammatory bowel conditions are not fully clear. However, determining the root cause of GI symptoms can help clinicians and patients develop an effective management approach. If inflammation is identified as the underlying culprit, then clinicians might recommend therapies that specifically target inflammatory pathways. There are a variety of diets, such as the Autoimmune Protocol Diet, designed specifically to address inflammation in the gut. For patients who want to avoid restrictive diets, nutritional supplements that can modulate the inflammatory response offer an appealing alternative. For example, curcumin is known to support the body’s natural inflammatory response. Butyric acid might also help maintain a normal inflammatory response through several mechanisms; not only do studies suggest that butyric acid can directly modulate inflammatory response pathways in the GI tract, but that it also elevates glutathione (GSH), a powerful antioxidant that limits damage from free radicals.
Peripheral markers for autism-related conditions can be extremely valuable for patients and clinicians who are looking to manage complex symptoms. As new peripheral markers are identified, simple tests might make it easier to develop effective therapies in the future. For clinicians, parents, and patients who want to explore whether supplementation can provide nutritional support for autism-related ileocolitis, there are already a number of supplements on the market designed with the unique needs of individuals with autism in mind.
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
Probiotics have been part of the human diet for centuries, and probiotic supplements have exploded in popularity over the last few decades. Today, there are endless commercial claims about the efficacy of probiotic-rich fermented foods and probiotic supplements for gastrointestinal disorders like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and many are supported by patient testimonials and anecdotes from physicians. As a result, probiotics have been the subject of considerable research interest since the start of the 21st century, and interest continues to grow as alternative medicine becomes increasingly mainstream. For almost two decades, researchers have conducted rigorous in vitro experiments, animal studies, and clinical trials, to determine whether probiotics could make a difference for IBS patients.
By this point—almost two decades later—you would think the scientific community would have come to a general consensus regarding the efficacy of probiotics. However, even the briefest review of the scientific literature can leave both physicians and patients with far more questions than answers. Some individual studies show promise, while others suggest that probiotics have relatively little impact on IBS patients. Even when you turn to large meta-analyses and systematic reviews, experts in the field universally conclude that it is not clear whether or not probiotics can effectively address IBS. For practitioners and patients who are considering this body of literature, it is important to understand why no consensus has been reached, what we have found out, and what it all means for the question of whether probiotics can help IBS patients. Not only can this help patients make more informed choices regarding probiotics, it can also help them identify other supplements that can play a vital role in therapies.
The lack of consensus on whether or not probiotics can help IBS patients is not due to an absence of research in the field. In one of the most recent systematic reviews of the potential role of probiotics in addressing IBS, published in the Journal of Infection in February 2018, researchers found more than 800 potentially relevant articles published within the last 15 years. However, despite careful analysis of hundreds of studies, the researchers could only characterize the available data as “promising” and conclude that, “further studies are needed before probiotics can be considered a reliable [therapy] for IBS.”
Other meta-analyses and systematic reviews have drawn similar conclusions. This can be frustrating for patients because these types of studies offer the highest-level evidence when it comes to determining a therapy’s efficacy. In 2017, a group of researchers from University College Cork in Ireland and Houston Methodist Hospital in Texas collaborated to discuss the inconclusiveness of several of these studies in the journal Current Medical Research and Opinion. In their critique, the authors emphasized the reason a consensus has yet to be reached: the studies that have been conducted on probiotics simply are not methodologically comparable to each other. As a result, researchers conducting meta-analyses have not been able to collect sufficient data on single therapeutic options to draw concrete conclusions.
Consider several of the common methodological distinctions between the studies that have been conducted on probiotics and IBS:
Although the heterogeneity of studies on probiotics and IBS makes it difficult for researchers to draw conclusions on the broad question of whether probiotics help patients with IBS, there is one clear area of consensus: that this research is worthwhile. It is becoming increasingly clear that microbial diversity does play a role in the pathophysiology of IBS, which provides a strong theoretical foundation for the idea that probiotics might help resolve symptoms. Although no clear, universal pattern of change in the microbiome has been identified, the latest research suggests that both the diversity and the abundance of bacterial strains in the gut varies between IBS patients and the general population.
Moreover, there are certain themes that the evidence presents, even by researchers who are most concerned about the heterogeneity of the existing research literature. Specifically, it appears that probiotic bacteria from the genus Bifidobacterium have the largest beneficial impacts on IBS patients. Some researchers go so far as to specifically highlight B. infantis as the best-supported strain, while others continue to reserve judgment, holding out for more comprehensive studies in the future. However, it is important to recognize this is not the only bacterial strain implicated in IBS studies, so patients might still experience strains in other genera to be effective.
Ultimately, answering the question of whether probiotics can help IBS patients is more complicated than it seems. Although for the research community, the jury is still out, patients and practitioners can still act on the available evidence. Knowing that scientists agree that the microbiome is involved in the pathophysiology of IBS, it might be valuable to try a probiotic supplement or another supplement that is associated with microbiome function, such as butyric acid. The diversity of IBS studies also indicates that results can vary depending on factors like the bacterial strain, dosage, and type of IBS, so patience is dictated for both physicians and patients looking for an optimal therapy to meet unique needs.
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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