Research and News September 2019

Allergic Sensitization Can Occur Through The Skin
A damaged skin barrier, such as by eczema, can play a role in the initiation of new allergies. Our immune system normally encounters foreign molecules after they have been broken down in the digestive tract. Specialized immune cells in the gut and lungs also help to ensure only appropriate molecules enter our circulation. When eczema is present, however, allergenic molecules enter our bodies directly, potentially creating an inappropriate immune response that manifests as food sensitivity or allergy, or environmental allergy.

Mom’s Fluoride Exposure Associates with Lower IQ in Kids
It’s a contentious topic – so much so that JAMA had to give these data extra scrutiny before publication: Fluoride exposure and IQ scores. New data show that increased fluoride exposure in mothers is associated with lower IQ scores in their male children. No association was found in their daughters in this study. The authors also raise the possibility that IQ may not be the only negatively-associated health outcome. As a precaution, we recommend avoiding fluoride ingestion and reserving fluoride use for specific dental needs, used topically on teeth only and rinsed out afterwards.

Vitamin K From Foods Improves Warfarin Effectiveness
More on warfarin and vitamin K: Those taking vitamin-K antagonist anticoagulants such as warfarin are often (mis)advised to limit their intake of green vegetables for their vitamin K content. Careful, consistent intake is important – to which the medication dose can be tailored. Now, research published in JAMA shows that consuming more green veggies and other vitamin K-rich foods (equivalent of 150mcg vitamin K daily) may even stabilize anticoagulation for patients taking warfarin – ie. Improve the effectiveness of the medication.

Osteocalcin as a Mediator of the Stress Response
A surprising mediator of the stress response comes from bone. New research published in Cell Metabolism shows that osteocalcin, a hormone produced by bone tissue, induces the stress (fight-or-flight) response in mice. Osteocalcin receptors appear on many neurons on the nervous system, including the basolateral amygdala in the brain. These findings may lead to new thinking about how people’s osteocalcin levels, and not simply the more well-known mediators adrenaline and noradrenaline, may relate to their stress response.

Wait, non-alcoholic fatty liver due to… (gut bug) alcohol!?
Can your gut bugs produce enough alcohol to make you drunk? A new research study has shown that Klebsiella pneumoniae, a bacterial species that we pick up fairly frequently on functional GI tests, is capable of producing alcohol to the extent that it can raise blood alcohol levels over legal limits. Not only that, but it is now considered another potential driver of fatty liver disease. First discovered in a human subject, subsequent animal experiments where Klebsiella pneumoniae was introduced into the gut microbiome produced similar results. In the human subject, a combination treatment of antibiotics and dietary changes proved successful.

Soot Particles Travel from Lungs to Other Organs, Including the Placenta
Black carbon particles, linked to heart disease, breathing problems, preterm births, low birth weight, and cancer can be found in the placentas of pregnant women—even if they don’t live in areas of high pollution. Concentrations were higher in women who lived 500 meters or less from a major road. It’s clear that pollutant particles can be absorbed from the lungs and travel to other organs around the body, affecting the health of the mother as well as the unborn child. A first step in reducing pollution exposure is to clean the air in your home as much as possible – click here to read our recommendations for indoor air purifiers and plants.