PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Intestinal bacteria influence food transit through the gut

2013-11-21
(Press-News.org) Contact information: Fredrik Bäckhed
fredrik.backhed@wlab.gu.se
University of Gothenburg
Intestinal bacteria influence food transit through the gut Food transit through the small intestine affects the body's absorption of nutrients and, consequently, our health. The discovery that food transit time is regulated by a hormone indicates new ways to increase the intestinal absorption of nutrients, and thus potentially treat malnutrition.

One of the tasks of the gut microbiota is to break down essential nutrients from our diet to provide a usable energy source in the colon.

Researchers at the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden, have now shown that lack of energy in the colon leads to increased release of a hormone primarily associated with appetite control and insulin secretion, GLP-1.

Importantly, they also showed that the released GLP-1 regulates how quickly food passes through the small intestine. These findings may open up new possibilities to treat malnutrition and malnutrition-related diseases.

"Food transit through the small intestine is a complex balancing act, in which the gut lining must be given time to absorb nutrients but without allowing pathogenic bacteria sufficient time to colonize the small intestine. We have discovered that food transit through the small intestine is regulated by a specific hormone called GLP-1, which is linked to our glucose metabolism and appetite," says Anita Wichmann, postdoctoral researcher at the Sahlgrenska Academy and the study's lead author.

The study, published in the prestigious journal Cell Host & Microbe, was led by Professor Fredrik Bäckhed, who heads an internationally recognized research group that investigates the links between the gut microbiota and regulation of the body's metabolism.

"We are continuously discovering new functions that are regulated by the gut microbiota, which highlight its incredibly important function for health and development of diseases," he says.

The article Microbial Modulation of Energy Availability in the Colon Regulates Intestinal Transit was published in Cell Host & Microbe on the 13 November.

### http://www.cell.com/cell-host-microbe/abstract/S1931-3128(13)00365-X Contact: Fredrik Bäckhed
Professor at the Sahlgrenska Academy and Director of the Wallenberg Laboratory
University of Gothenburg
031-342 7833
070-2182355
fredrik.backhed@wlab.gu.se
http://www.wlab.gu.se/backhed


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Attractants prevent nerve cell migration

2013-11-21
Attractants prevent nerve cell migration Researchers from Bonn University decode a roadblock to nerve cell transplantation A vision is to implant nerve precursor cells in the diseased brains of patients with Parkinson's and Huntington's diseases, whereby ...

Playing computer games makes brains feel and think alike

2013-11-21
Playing computer games makes brains feel and think alike It's well known that people who communicate face-to-face will start to imitate each other. People adopt each other's poses and gestures, much like infectious yawning. What is less ...

New publication studies urban environments of Manchester from a qualitative perspective

2013-11-21
New publication studies urban environments of Manchester from a qualitative perspective Dr Alexander Bridger, Senior Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Huddersfield, has published a new paper that explores ways to qualitatively study the urban environments ...

Captive breeding for thousands of years has impaired olfactory functions in silkmoths

2013-11-21
Captive breeding for thousands of years has impaired olfactory functions in silkmoths Domesticated silkmoths Bombyx mori have a much more limited perception of environmental odors compared to their wild relatives; The extremely sensitive olfactory ...

New materials with potential biomedical applications

2013-11-21
New materials with potential biomedical applications Bisphosphonates are a group of compounds that have become well-known and are extensively used as drugs for treating bone-related diseases, such as osteoporosis. New uses for bisphosphonates ...

Ultrasound, nanoparticles may help diabetics avoid the needle

2013-11-21
Ultrasound, nanoparticles may help diabetics avoid the needle A new nanotechnology-based technique for regulating blood sugar in diabetics may give patients the ability to release insulin painlessly using a small ultrasound device, allowing them to ...

Scientists show how cells protect their DNA from catastrophic damage

2013-11-21
Scientists show how cells protect their DNA from catastrophic damage Researchers at the University of Copenhagen have unveiled a profound biological process that explains how DNA can be damaged during genome replication. In addition, the scientists developed ...

Stress and isolation take toll on those under 50 with HIV; older people fare better

2013-11-21
Stress and isolation take toll on those under 50 with HIV; older people fare better Case Western Reserve University researchers were surprised to learn that people younger than 50 years old with HIV feel more isolated and stressed than older people ...

Rutegrs-Camden nursing scholar develops tool for ostomy care

2013-11-21
Rutegrs-Camden nursing scholar develops tool for ostomy care CAMDEN — Nurses caring for ostomy patients will now be equipped with an essential new tool that provides them with the first comprehensive guide to optimize ostomy management and enhance patient safety. ...

Additive may make wine fine for a longer time

2013-11-21
Additive may make wine fine for a longer time An additive may help curb a chemical reaction that causes wine to look, smell and taste funky, according to food scientists. The researchers added chelation compounds that bind with metals to inhibit oxidation, or oxygen's ability ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Cercus electric stimulation enables cockroach with trajectory control and spatial cognition training

Day-long conference addresses difficult to diagnose lung disease

First-ever cardiogenic shock academy features simulation lab

Thirty-year mystery of dissonance in the “ringing” of black holes explained

Less intensive works best for agricultural soil

Arctic rivers project receives “national champion” designation from frontiers foundation

Computational biology paves the way for new ALS tests

Study offers new hope for babies born with opioid withdrawal syndrome

UT, Volkswagen Group of America celebrate research partnership

New Medicare program could dramatically improve affordability for cancer drugs – if patients enroll

Are ‘zombie’ skin cells harmful or helpful? The answer may be in their shapes

University of Cincinnati Cancer Center presents research at AACR 2025

Head and neck, breast, lung and survivorship studies headline Dana-Farber research at AACR Annual Meeting 2025

AACR: Researchers share promising results from MD Anderson clinical trials

New research explains why our waistlines expand in middle age

Advancements in muon detection: Taishan Antineutrino Observatory's innovative top veto tracker

Chips off the old block

Microvascular decompression combined with nerve combing for atypical trigeminal neuralgia

Cutting the complexity from digital carpentry

Lung immune cell type “quietly” controls inflammation in COVID-19

Fiscal impact of expanded Medicare coverage for GLP-1 receptor agonists to treat obesity

State and sociodemographic trends in US cigarette smoking with future projections

Young adults drive historic decline in smoking

NFCR congratulates Dr. Robert C. Bast, Jr. on receiving the AACR-Daniel D. Von Hoff Award for Outstanding Contributions to Education and Training in Cancer Research

Chimpanzee stem cells offer new insights into early embryonic development

This injected protein-like polymer helps tissues heal after a heart attack

FlexTech inaugural issue launches, pioneering interdisciplinary innovation in flexible technology

In Down syndrome mice, 40Hz light and sound improve cognition, neurogenesis, connectivity

Methyl eugenol: potential to inhibit oxidative stress, address related diseases, and its toxicological effects

A vascularized multilayer chip reveals shear stress-induced angiogenesis in diverse fluid conditions

[Press-News.org] Intestinal bacteria influence food transit through the gut