🕙 Intermittent fasting shows promise in improving gut health too

The health benefits of intermittent fasting may be mediated by your gut.

A new study in 41 obese and overweight people compared caloric restriction versus intermittent fasting & protein pacing across the day, for 8 weeks.

Both groups had the same Kcal intake across the week.

Participants following the intermittent fasting program had better gut health, weight loss and metabolic responses than the calorie restriction group.

In details, intermittent fasting & protein pacing led to:

• Greater diversity of gut bacteria, linked to a lean body type

• Decrease in symptoms of gastrointestinal problems

• Improved fat metabolism and burning

• Greater fat loss around the abdomen and greater muscle mass

• Greater weight loss of 9% (versus 5% for calorie restriction)

🥊 Punchline

The study highlights the potential of intermittent fasting and protein-pacing diets in improving gut health and weight management.

🧂 A high sodium diet may increase the risk of eczema

Eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, is one of the most common skin conditions, affecting more than 31 million people in the U.S. alone.

Its prevalence has become increasingly common in recent years, implicating environmental and lifestyle factors like diet.

A new study analysed urine samples and medical records of 215,000 people between 30 and 70 years old

In general, high salt diets were associated with greater odds of eczema diagnosis and increased severity.

Each additional 1/2 teaspoon of table salt per day (containing 1g of sodium) was associated with 22% higher odds of active eczema flare up.

Recently, scientists discovered that sodium is stored in the skin, where it may play a role in the inflammation in eczema. But, it’s still early days to known the exact mechanism.

🥊 Punchline

The higher the salt intake, the higher the odds of eczema flare ups. Most people eat too much salt, in the form of heavily processed foods, condiments and sauces. Thus the priority should be to reduce salt intake to less than 5 g/d.

🍺 Excessive alcohol use and bacterial overgrowth in gut

Excess alcohol use can have many negative consequences, even to the gut.

But how this happens has been a mystery, since the majority of consumed alcohol is absorbed in the mouth and stomach and does not reach the gut.

A team of researchers argues that the by-products (namely acetate) of alcohol breakdown in the liver find their way back to the gut where they become feed for certain bacteria.

The results is imbalanced bacterial growth, benefitting some species but not others.

A study in animals revealed that excess alcohol use is associated with ‘gut bacteria reprogramming’, even without liver damage.

This means that:

• The effects of alcohol on the gut can be occur well before liver damage

• Liver damage is not implicated in the ‘gut bacteria reprogramming’ secondary to alcohol use

🥊 Punchline

Excessive alcohol use is associated with an imbalanced gut bacteria make up, supporting the overgrowth of pro-inflammatory bacteria.