We like to stay on top of the latest news in functional medicine and nutrition. If you do too, you’ll find our monthly, easy-to-digest compilation of research and news articles right here. Check back regularly to find updates, or follow us through our newsletters and social media to ensure you don’t miss any.
The Hunt Continues for Mitochondria’s Bacterial Origins
Data Published on VLCD for Type 1 Diabetes Indicates “Exceptional” Benefit
Probiotics Work for Prevention of C. Difficile after Antibiotics
Saunas May Reduce Stroke Risk
Can A Toothpaste Replace Allergy Shots?
A Surprisingly Easy Tip for Addressing Candida
The Role of Inflammation and Microbes in Endometriosis
Clearing Up The Vitamin K – Anticoagulant Confusion
The Hunt Continues for Mitochondria’s Bacterial Origins
We’ve long thought mitochondria descended from bacteria. True, but which ones? Originally thought to be from Alphaproteobacteria, its now understood that this diverse group are but distant cousins… The original mitochondrial ancestor may no longer exist, but hopes still remain in the scientific community that it can be tracked down.
Data Published on VLCD for Type 1 Diabetes Indicates “Exceptional” Benefit
A very low carbohydrate diet (mean 36g per day, +/- 15g) may allow for “exceptional” control of type 1 diabetes. This is the conclusion of a study of over 300 patients with the condition just published in the Journal Pediatrics by physicians of Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School. The study participants followed the diet for a mean duration of 2.2 years. HbA1c values, a measure of blood glucose levels over the past 2-3 months, normalized. And the number of hospitalizations for diabetic ketoacidosis and all diabetes-related causes were fewer than would be expected with standard care.
Probiotics Work for Prevention of C. Difficile after Antibiotics
Taking an antibiotic increases your risk of complications, including C. difficile infection. But taking a multispecies probiotic, of a potency at least > 1 billion, alongside that antibiotic significantly reduces the odds of contracting C. difficile. This is especially important in hospital settings where the risk of C. difficile is high.
Saunas May Reduce Stroke Risk
Do you enjoy a sauna? New data suggest that frequent sauna use significantly reduces the risk for future stroke. Add this to data that we already have that links sauna use with positive effects on cardiovascular parameters (lipids, endothelial health, and blood pressure), and reduced cardiovascular and all-cause mortality, and we’d say that’s a pretty compelling group of reasons to start! Make sure you get your physician’s approval first, and test your individual heat tolerance slowly. Stay well hydrated and don’t combine with alcohol.
Can A Toothpaste Replace Allergy Shots?
We are utterly intrigued by this new option for delivering oral immunotherapy (mucosal therapy) to desensitize patients to seasonal allergens: in your toothpaste! This could work especially well for sublingual immunotherapy, as we use in our practice, where it can become cumbersome over time for patients to continue to remember to take their daily drops. It may also be a viable alternative for shot-based immunotherapy.
A Surprisingly Easy Tip for Addressing Candida
If you suffer from candida overgrowth, here’s an easy tip to add into your anti-candida regimen. Research shows that brushing your teeth after every meal (instead of just morning and night) can reduce levels of candida in the GI tract. Thanks to medical education consultant Cass Dooley-Nelson who sent us the heads up about this new study!
The Role of Inflammation and Microbes in Endometriosis
Endometriosis is typically considered purely a hormone dysregulation issue. However, new research shines light on the potential role of inflammation and microbes in this condition. Microbially-produced lipopolysaccharides in endometrial cell samples are shown to trigger the pro-inflammatory toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) cascade, which via the arachidonic acid-prostaglandin cascade, promote local upregulation of aromatase and estrogen production.
Clearing Up The Vitamin K – Anticoagulant Confusion
Individuals taking anti-coagulant medications such as Warfarin or Coumadin are often (mis)informed to avoid foods high in vitamin K and to avoid taking supplemental vitamin K. Aside from the fact that medication intake can be adjusted to allow for vitamin K-rich foods which are tremendously beneficial for other reasons, did you know that there are actually several forms of vitamin K and they have different effects? Although it’s always prudent to monitor effect closely with labs, the MK4 form of K2 has been shown NOT to interfere with anti-coagulant activity. The jury is still out on the MK7 form of K2, where a very small study suggested possible interaction (I’d like to see it repeated). K1 DOES participate in blood clotting and should be factored in and monitored, or avoided in favor of MK4.
