FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE BLOG
Includes over 800 monographs reporting on emerging studies in the medical and scientific literature of practical clinical importance, easily searched for content.
Cannabinoids promote HPV-related head and neck cancer
THC can promote progression of HPV positive head and neck cancer.
Hip fracture risk predicted by red blood cell width
Hip fracture risk can be predicted by RDW, a biomarker commonly included in a complete blood count (CBC).
Antigliadin antibodies harmful for brain at low levels
Antigliadin antibodies (AGA), a subset of anti-gluten antibodies, have been shown to be harmful to the brain at levels below the standard reference range in an important study on gluten ataxia (GA) published in the journal Nutrients. Gluten ataxia is a condition characterized by loss of balance due to cerebellar damage due to neuroinflammation provoked by gluten. Non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) can cause inflammation in the brian and central nervous with antibodies at lower levels than in celiac disease and in the absence of abdominal symptoms.
Gut microbiome, SCFAs, mood disorders, ketogenic diet and seizures
SCFA (short-chain fatty acid) production by the gut microbiome has a large effect on autoimmunity, brain inflammation, neuropsychiatric disorders and seizures by Immune system modulation; and this positive effect can be damaged by antibiotics.
Hypoglycemia increases inflammatory reactions, cardiovascular risk
"These data provide novel mechanistic insights into how hypoglycemia could increase CV risk through upregulation of inflammatory responses."
Fish oil omega-3 fatty acids do not increase bleeding risk
"...our findings on the safe use of n-3 LC-PUFAs are applicable to a diverse clinical population including those on concomitant anticoagulant medications as used here."
Iron supplementation - better with intermittent low doses
These findings...advocate the hypothesis that low-dose iron given on alternate days may maximize fractional iron absorption, increase dosage efficacy.
Glaucoma neurodegeneration ameliorated by mitochondrial support
...dietary supplementation with a single molecule (vitamin B3/nicotinamide), or Nmnat1 gene therapy, significantly reduces vulnerability to glaucoma by supporting mitochondrial health and metabolism...By providing a new molecular and metabolic link between increased neuronal vulnerability with age and neurodegeneration these findings are of critical importance for glaucoma and possibly other age-related diseases.
Leaky gut: inflammation, chronic fatigue and depression
Leaky gut permits bacterial LPS translocation into the gut lymphoid tissue where it triggers inflammation causing chronic fatigue and depression.
ONCOblot cancer test, sensitive and specific, explained in brief video
ONCOblot cancer test, sensitive and specific, explained in brief video.
Allergy skin prick reactions change with lancet weight
IgE allergy skin prick test reactions differ with changes in lancet weight. Higher lancet weights cause larger wheal reactions.
GERD pathology caused by immune reaction, not acid
GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) may be caused by a dysregulated inflammatory reaction to the stimulus of gastric hydrochloric acid in the lower esophagus, not 'burning' by the acid itself, according to preliminary research just published in JAMA.
Fracture healing requires intact nitric oxide production
Useful research just published in the journal Bone shows that reduced nitric oxide production impairs fracture healing.
Skipping breakfast worsens blood glucose and insulin later
Skipping breakfast worsens blood glucose and impairs the insulin response for the rest of the day.
Antibiotics can adversely alter gut microbiome for a year
The fecal microbiome was severely affected by most antibiotics: for months, health-associated butyrate-producing species became strongly underrepresented...Clearly, even a single antibiotic treatment in healthy individuals contributes to the risk of resistance development and leads to long-lasting detrimental shifts in the gut microbiome.