Gut Microbiota And Your Health

I recently had the opportunity to interview Professor Margaret Morris, Head of Pharmacology at the University of New South Wales. She and her colleagues are involved in some extremely relevant and fascinating research into the role of the gut bacteria in regulating weight, mood, overall health and how this research might apply to treating obesity and major illness and disease. While there is still much to be discovered and investigated, there is also much to be excited about.
Essentially, if you are eating a balanced, healthy diet rich in complex carbohydrates, unprocessed foods including plenty of veggies and fruit (organic is ideal!) and meats, fish, tofu, soy and legumes then you're setting up your guts and your body for optimum fitness, stable energy and mood and an overall more happy, healthy life.
The good news is - though it takes time for change to show definite, measurable results in regards to weight, mood and wellbeing, it doesn't matter how old you are, how active you currently are or how often you dine on Krispy Kremes at this point. You can make small changes from today and see results over time and you can change your guts, you can change your whole life for the better.

My interview with Margaret is a podcast on iTunes or free stream on Soundcloud.

Cat:  For those new to the term, what is the gut microbiota?

The term refers to the suite of organisms that reside inside our gastrointestinal tract (gut).  There are many bacteria in our intestine and colon, that number in the trillions.  In fact the number of bacteria outnumber the number of cells in our  body!

Bacteria is usually a word associated with germs and dirtiness. Can you explain the role of bacteria in the gut and why the term “bacteria” is not referring only to the “bad” bacteria?

The bacteria in our gut perform a wide range of functions, and in fact, they are required for a healthy gut. Some of the functions include- They are harvesting nutrients from food; vitamin production; maintaining a healthy lining of the inside gut wall; healthy immune function.

How long have you been working in the field of gut microbiota and its role in health?

I have been working on obesity for 20 years, focusing on how the brain regulates appetite (and what goes wrong in the face of unlimited palatable food) and more recently began to examine the changes in gut microbiota profile  across a range of  interesting experimental models  that we have – so about 4 years.

What are the most exciting studies you’ve been involved with lately and what do they show us about lifestyle choices affecting gut microbiota and overall health?

We are very excited by our research in animals into the link between cafeteria diet induced changes in memory, and the effect on the gut microbiota.  Consumption of an unhealthy diet (e.g. high in saturated fat, high sucrose, low in fibre) is associated with less diversity in the bacteria in the gut - so-called ‘dysbiosis’ -  and we found that the reduction in cognitive function was linked to changes in certain types of bacteria.  This means that in the future, we may be able to introduce the missing bacteria to improve cognition.

What role does the gut bacteria play in regulating mood and could studies lead to better treatment of depression, psychiatric illness and sleep problems such as insomnia and apnoea? Could these studies also mean that there will be preventative approaches & holistic non-pharmacological interventions provided by the educational, government and healthcare industries in future?

Evidence suggest that the composition of the gut microbiota is altered in people  with mood disorders  (although the issue of causality arises here).  In terms of using knowledge about the gut microbiota to more effectively treat certain disorders, there is a precedent for this with some serious infections of the gut. I can refer your listeners to our piece in The Conversation.

Other work of Pedersen et al, Nature 2016 has shown that the microbiota may  be very relevant to insulin sensitivity, leading to the conclusion that ‘Our findings suggest that microbial targets may have the potential to diminish insulin resistance and reduce the incidence of common metabolic and cardiovascular disorders', so  I think there will be future developments in this space.

How is the medical and health industry (private and public) as well as government responding to your studies and conclusions around dietary, behavioural and lifestyle choices in overall health of children and adults?

No formal responses from government -  but interest from the scientific community.  And we have funding to continue  some of this work.

Can you explain the link between the intestinal function and cognition and memory? What does this say about memory, learning and how it is related to diet?

There are a range of studies demonstrating a link between a healthy diet and memory and learning.  Many of these are observational -  they study a large number of people and look for associations between diet and brain function. Some studies have shown that various food patterns  are linked to poorer cognition,  or greater cognitive decline over time.  Clearly it is time-consuming and difficult to conduct this type of work -  and showing a cause-effect relationship is challenging.  However on balance, there does appear to be evidence for poor diet linking with poorer function, and possibly brain changes  (e.g. smaller hippocampus).

How does a high fibre diet affect the gut microbiota and what sort of foods are ideal to add or increase in the diet?

Diets that are rich in plant fibre are generally good for the gut microbiota.

Have studies into omega 3 (and healthy fats found in nuts, fish, avocado and seeds) shown to have a positive effect on hormones and the gut microbiota?

Yes, omega 3 in the diet can influence the makeup of the gut microbiota, so this may explain some of the benefits of  eating foods that are  rich in omega 3.  In humans there is evidence that low omega 3 is linked to increased risk of depression.
See ‘Role of Omega-3 fatty acids in the etiology, treatment, and prevention of depression: Current status and future directions’ Robert K. McNamara;  Journal of Nutrition & Intermediary Metabolism 5 (2016) 96e10.

While highly processed carbohydrates such as those in white bread, donuts, chips and takeaway burgers are well known to be “unhealthy” choices, it is also unhealthy to cut whole food groups. As an active person, what carbohydrates are healthy choices for balancing the gut microbiota?

Generally complex carbohydrates that are unprocessed  are best – these include whole grains, oats and the like.  Refined sugars are less helpful. In fact, we observed changes in gut biota and impaired memory in animals that are eating a healthy diet,  but supplementing that with high sugar intake.
Of course, small amounts of refined sugar are probably ok and  it is important to enjoy food  and eating with friends…

Agreed that the importance of sharing meals and enjoying food is vital so the occasional donut or Tim Tams with the workmates should not be declined or denied!

What role does the timing of meals have in regulating gut microbiota and how can people use this to their advantage? For example, many people skip breakfast or eat smaller lunches to excuse late night snacking.

Not much know (I believe)  regarding impact of meal timing on the microbiota – it is an interesting question.

What current studies are under way and what do you hope to see as far as investment in this area from public and private government and health investors?

We have a range of studies underway -   for instance, we are interested in the effect of exercise on the gut microbiota (even in the face of an unhealthy diet)  as well as the impact of probiotics on gut microbiota and memory.

Grapely Good in Dry July

Good news now that we are fully immersed in Dry July: you don't need red wine to get a good dose of powerful, grape-derived antioxidant Resveratrol. So all that bleating from wine merchants about how red wine is full of antioxidants and hey, have some dark chocolate with it too - please.

So what is this magical compound?

Resveratrol is found in the skin of red grapes and also in peanuts and berries. It's a plant compound considered to be extremely high in antioxidants, which protect against environmental damage to the skin and body.
Some research has shown it to be highly effective for weight loss in obesity - but these are animal studies and are not definitive. It has also proven promising in protecting against heart disease and other age-related conditions including Alzheimer's and macular degeneration (eye disease).

The bottom line here is, regardless of whether it is going to prolong your life and ensure you are disease free - it IS a powerful antioxidant that nourishes from the inside out. It can only improve your heart function, skin clarity and collagen strength and early studies suggest it defends against tissue degradation - a key factor in arthritic pain.

Try Bioglan Resveratox

Try Swisse Grapeseed Ultiboost Grape Seed 12,000mg 60 tablets

Fat that Burns Fat?

Don't get too excited. I'm not going to reveal some magic greasy burger you can eat and turn into Kate Moss.

This is genuine science and it's a fascinating discovery that has potential implications for the management of disease and diabetes as well as weight management for healthy, fit people.

The body stores 3 types of fat: white, beige and brown.

White fat is the one you normally think of - the most common type of fat that is typically stored around the stomach, thighs and hips.

On the other hand, the more rare brown fat has heat-producing properties that burn major calories just by existing. Science - as discussed in a recent New Scientist magazine article - has proven that brown fat is activated through cold temperatures. Nothing too extreme - even wearing a tank top in 14 degrees will do it. Brown fat cells play an essential role in wild animals, allowing them to survive in cold and harsh environments by ensuring blood circulates and body heat is maintained.

Beige cells develop in the common white fat when brown cells are activated and THIS is where and when the fat-burning and metabolism boost happens. Beige fat cells = leanness in humans and the reduction of metabolic disease and obesity in mice. Current studies are looking into genetic and drug therapy that can produce and encourage growth and activation of beige fat cells.

While humans typically store only a very small quantity of brown cells, they are to be found in the deep back muscles around the spine and neck. Interestingly, overweight and obese people have been found to have a lower concentration of brown fat cells. In trials of drug therapy that looked at increasing the activity of brown cells, dangerous side effects were noticed at high doses so at present, there is no effective means of increasing their quantity or activity safely.

Beige cells on the other hand develop through being exposed to the cold, as I mentioned. Once they have been activated in the cold atmosphere, they are retained even when you warm up again. So it would seem that intermittent exposure to cold environments can maintain a metabolic boosting quantity of beige fat cells, which limit and reduce weight gain.

This is all still in the early stages of study. What HAS been proven is that there are systemic factors that influence brown and beige fat and look promising for weight loss therapy.
Irisin is a hormone found in muscle - built through exercise - which has obesity-prevention qualities and enhances energy production in cells. The takeaway message? EXERCISE. Both endurance and high-intensity bursts are recommended.

Calcium - either three or four daily servings of low-fat dairy or a supplement - can increase your body's fat burning ability. Calcium is stored in fat cells and regulates how it is stored and broken down by the body. The greater the level of calcium, the more fat it will burn according to studies.

Being TOO lean and having TOO LITTLE body fat will have the reverse effect. The body requires fat to retain calcium, vitamin D and other essential hormones and vitamins which are dependent on fat to remain and stay active.

A study from the Nutrition Institute of University of Tennessee showed mice given calcium supplements had good weight loss results, when supplements were combined with a restricted-calorie diet. Mice getting their calcium via supplements had a 42% decrease in body fat, whereas mice eating without supplements had an 8% body fat loss.

However, calcium from dairy products produced the best results. Mice on the "medium-dairy" diet had a 60% decrease in body fat, while those on the "high-dairy" diet lost 69% body fat.

The takeaway message? GET YOUR CALCIUM. I am not a major dairy fan and I know many people prefer alternatives. If this is the case, I recommend Nature's Way Calcium & K2 + Vitamin D.

Research shows that Vitamin K2 binds calcium to the bone mineral, ensuring that it is absorbed where it is NEEDED rather than depositing in the arteries. I recommend this supplement because it's the first to make K2 available and it's widely available (supermarkets, pharmacies and online at www.health365.com.au)

And eat well. There's no great mystery to it. If you are in need of some ideas, go recipe book hunting. My latest find is "the SuperFoods Kitchen" which has breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert options compiled from home cooks all over Australia. So inspiring! A crowd sourced cookbook!