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.
MS risk nearly double 15 years after concussion for teens
Multiple sclerosis risk almost doubles for teens 15 years after a concussion.
Flu vaccination response weakened by antibiotic effects on gut microbiome
Microbiome loss from antibiotics weakens the response to flu vaccination, perturbs bile acid metabolism, and promotes pro-inflammatory signals.
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).
Adolescent oral contraceptive use predicts lasting risk for adulthood depression
In this study, the authors found that women who had used oral contraceptives during adolescence show an increased risk for depression in adulthood, even years after that exposure.
Probiotics may impair post-antibiotic gut microbiome recovery
Probiotics taken after antibiotics may impair recovery of the gut microbiome and its functions.
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.
Systemic thyroid hormone effects with levothyroxine can fall short
Systemic thyroid hormone status—the systemic effects of thyroid hormone activity—has been further confirmed to be insufficient with levothyroxine therapy in a significant percentage of cases, even though laboratory levels of TSH and T4 are normalized...
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."
Osteoarthritis: auto-inflammation, IL-17 and the microbiome
Osteoarthritis is an autoinflammatory condition characterized by a more aggressive inflammatory response to stressed or damaged tissue, with a subset exhibiting high IL-17 activity, a hallmark of autoimmunity. This may be ameliorated by regulating the autoinflammatory response through manipulation of the gut microbiome.
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.