Category Biology/Biotechnology

High-salt (HS) intake is a major global health concern, closely linked to hypertension and growing evidence of cognitive and emotional decline. Although salt is a routine part of daily diets, long-term overconsumption can negatively affect both the cardiovascular system and the central nervous system, underscoring the need for practical dietary strategies to mitigate these adverse health effects.

Prostaglandins (PGs) are lipid compounds derived from arachidonic acid (AA) that act as potent local hormones...

New Northwestern Medicine research published in Nature Communications suggests that a metabolite produced by gut bacteria when they digest dietary fiber can leave a lasting molecular imprint on intestinal cells, promoting immune tolerance and protecting against inflammatory bowel disease-like conditions long after exposure ends.

Yingzi Cong, Ph.D., the Stanley Gradowski Professor of Gastroenterology and a professor of Microbiology-Immunology and Pathology, was the senior and co-corresponding author of the study.

Investigators describe the findings as evidence that beneficial microbial metabolites may be able to “train” the intestinal lining to maintain immune tolerance over time.

“Our laboratory has...

Plant-based diets are good for you. They promote gut, immune, metabolic and cardiovascular health, in part by cultivating a diverse community of intestinal bacteria. These benefits have long been known to stem partly from the fiber in plant-based foods, which is processed by our commensal gut bacteria, and the often brightly colored “phytochemicals” plants produce to protect themselves from environmental threats. But much remains to be learned about how exactly the bugs in our bellies process the constituents of vegetables to such salubrious effect.

A pair of studies led by Ludwig Princeton’s Jenna AbuSalim and director Joshua Rabinowitz—one in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the other published in Nature Metabolism—shed new lig...

Results from a small clinical trial suggest it may be possible to reduce the risk of dementia by eating during fewer hours of the day. The pilot study, which involved a weight-loss program for older women with overweight or obesity, showed modest cognitive improvements among those who limited their daily eating window instead of just reducing their calorie intake.

“Losing weight alone will ward off some of the aging-related cognitive decline, and these data suggest that there may be additional benefits if you stop eating four hours before going to sleep and reduce food intake to 8–9 hours per day, compared with the usual eating window of 12 hours per day,” said Sue Shapses, Ph.D...