Study Proves Direct Correlation Between Diet and Gut Microbes

A recent Harvard study has shown that diet modifications may change microbe populations and the types of genes expressed by gut bacteria in as little as one day. This is the first dietary study to make this discovery, which has the potential to solidify the correlation between diet and gut microbes. This is essential for colitis, since certain culprits such as bilophila may be reduced or enriched through diet. Although many variables can not be cast aside, it is important to consider the fact that dietary modifications may not cure colitis, but they may assist in the avoidance of its worsening and the potential of its improvement.

"As the saying goes, you are what you eat. But new evidence suggests that the same may also be true for the microbes in your gut.

A Harvard study shows that, in as little as a day, diet can alter the population of microbes in the gut—particularly those that tolerate bile—as well as the types of genes expressed by gut bacteria.
"What we are really excited about is we and others have shown in animal models that diet can rapidly have major effects on the microbes that are in the gut," said Peter Turnbaugh, a Bauer Fellow at the Center for Systems Biology in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. He is senior author of the paper, which appeared in Dec. 11 edition of the journal Nature."

"While the study results show that diet can affect the makeup of the gut microbiome, they also suggest that those changes may have very real implications for human health.

Though he stressed that the finding was still preliminary, David said Bilophila, a bacteria known to cause colitis in mice, was among the gut species that saw the largest population increases among people on the animal-product diet.

Earlier studies had shown that, in mice, diets high in milk fat increased the production of bile, which in turn led to increases in Bilophila. David and colleagues believe the increases in Bilophila seen in the current study may be tied to the cheese included in the animal-product diet.

"We did not set out to look for this, but when we asked which bacteria had the most significant increases, it was at the top of the list," he said. "We can't conclude from this study whether or not Bilophila might be causing colitis in humans, but our data does show that this colitis-associated bacteria can be enriched through diet."

The findings, David said, could point to a day when dietary changes could be used to treat certain medical conditions, rather than drugs or even surgery.

"That's part of the promise of this field, that we might somehow be able, through an altered diet or behavior, to shape the microbiome to improve health," he said. "People often refer to the gut microbiome as the 'second genome'—the first being our own—but what's interesting is that this second genome is potentially plastic and responsive to the way we choose to live our lives."

http://m.medicalxpress.com/news/2014-01-gut.html

I agree that the inflammation and the ulceration could aggravate the dysbiosis, but there is an undeniable and poorly understood intricate microbial relationship between bowel issues and bacterial cultures in the gut. The fact of the matter is that we are currently dealing with theories that will eventually be edited or proven wrong. That is the nature of the half life of knowledge.

This study does not go to show that diet is responsible for colitis or is the best form of treatment, but it is a stepping stone to further research into the way that dietary changes could impact gut bacteria. That may lead to advances in the field of probiotics, the creation of unique supplements, and possibly medications that may help reverse the effects of dysbiosis and retain a much needed microbial equilibrium. The fact is that there is medical potential in comprehending the power of dietary changes, and its immediacy, as shown in this preliminary study, is a key concept that could prove to be crucial in the near future.

At the end of the day, we need to start somewhere and move beyond the old school misconceptions that have refused to accept the possibility of a relationship between health, disease, and diet. An improved comprehension of dietary effects could lead to the creation of new technologies capable of assisting autoimmune conditions.

Isn't the same study (i got in my email from medscape just last month) that talks about going vego Vs going mostly paleo? If so: then from memory this study was flawed, IMO, in that the paleo group ate no starch or vegies at all! It was mostly dairy and protein. And they found that the latter diet produced high amounts of bilophilia which is implicated in colitis.

What they really need to research is a paleo diet with resistent starch. Now that would be something.

Cheers Pathogenkiller and Canada Mark, I am merely attempting to keep everyone updated and showing that there are medical leaps being made everyday. I hope for numerous new treatment options in the near future, there will be a brighter tomorrow. Hang in there.