By Free Republic | Created at 2024-10-22 03:23:31 | Updated at 2024-10-22 05:42:30
2 hours ago
Does the gut microbiome affect spine health? (Yes)
Medical Xpress / Rush University Medical Center / JOR Spine ^ | Oct. 14, 2024 | Khaled Aboushaala et al
Posted on 10/21/2024 8:01:46 PM PDT by ConservativeMind
Are back problems influenced by your gut? Researchers think there may be a connection.
In a paper, researchers looked at patients with and without lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis to examine the differences in gut microbiome in the two groups.
The researchers collected disk samples from surgery and imaging, along with blood, stool and saliva samples in those without and those with lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis. This often common condition involves slippage of one vertebral body over another due to intervertebral disk or facet joint degeneration—and can lead to pain, disability and surgery.
The cause is relatively unknown and has been under heated debate, but researchers theorize that the gut microbiome could stimulate systemic inflammation, alter one's metabolism and/or expose one to bacterial invasion that can lead to back disorders.
"What we found was interesting," Samartzis said. "When we compared these two groups of patients in terms of their age, sex, weight, pain, diet, alignment, pain profiles, etc., there was no difference between them. The only difference was largely and significantly noted in the gut microbiome—the gut bacteria."
"There were a few very significant gut bacteria that had a big spike, which happen to be associated with degenerative spondylolisthesis of the lower back. The association of these bacteria to spondylolisthesis was as high as threefold."
The study included 33 people over the age 50, 12 of whom did not have lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis and 21 who did. The individuals with spondylolisthesis had higher levels of pro-inflammatory bacteria in their gut.
"This discovery significantly broadens our understanding of clinically relevant degeneration of the spine that can oftentimes be debilitating," Samartzis said. "Our work has the potential to lead to new treatment options for back pain sufferers that should be more targeted, in this case focusing on the gut.
(Excerpt) Read more at medicalxpress.com ...
TOPICS: Health/Medicine
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According to the paper (LDS = “Lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis”):
“Subjects with LDS exhibited distinct differences at the phylum level, with a significantly higher Firmicutes to Bacteroidota ratio compared to non-LDS (p = 0.003).”
This is an actual ratio of two common bacterial families. A higher ratio is tied to more inflammation, according to other research papers I reviewed.
Interestingly, eating nearly all types of fiber increases both, which would not help the ratio. However, the one that specifically can greatly lower it is psyllium fiber.
So consider adding psyllium fiber to potentially address a high Firmicutes to Bacteroidota population ratio.
To: ConservativeMind
2 posted on 10/21/2024 8:05:10 PM PDT by ConservativeMind (Trump: Befuddling Democrats, Republicans, and the Media for the benefit of the US and all mankind.)
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3 posted on 10/21/2024 8:06:05 PM PDT by ConservativeMind (Trump: Befuddling Democrats, Republicans, and the Media for the benefit of the US and all mankind.)
To: ConservativeMind
The gut seems to affect a lot of different types of health, including mental health and hormonal health!
To: ConservativeMind
All well and good.
What are you supposed to do about it?
Or was that buried in there somewhere?
5 posted on 10/21/2024 8:16:23 PM PDT by doorgunner69 (I don't know what he said at the end of that sentence. i don't think he knows what he said either)
To: doorgunner69
I mention that in my response above.
6 posted on 10/21/2024 8:19:00 PM PDT by ConservativeMind (Trump: Befuddling Democrats, Republicans, and the Media for the benefit of the US and all mankind.)
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