Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Australia gives world-first approval for fecal transplants to restore gut health

theguardian.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

51–60 of 79 posts

Re: Australia gives world-first approval for fecal transplants to restore gut health

#51

Post by akiselev »

PaulKeeble wrote: post #8
omnicognate wrote: post #4

Is it possible, once scaled up and using an artificial biome as described in the article, that this could be used periodically by people without specific symptoms, as a prophylactic or to improve general health? Or are there reasons that would be a bad idea? Reducing diversity in gut flora, perhaps?

Our understanding of the gut microbiome is really primitive, we really don't know what a great one looks like. More problematic is that quite a lot of the bacteria that are critical die in the presence of oxygen and are thus very hard to collect and reintroduce. So far no one has made a mechanism to keep them alive and reintroduce them into other people. I would not be quick to rush to a fake biome just yet, it will…

That’s the problem of unculturable species that pervades microbiology and anything related like agriculture. We have no idea what percentage of bacteria species can even survive long enough to be studied in the lab let alone industrialized. Even if someone manages to grow them accidentally, we’d never know it because if they don’t absorb any of the known stains, it’ll just look like agar on a plate under a microscope.

Last I checked the “state of the art” was to use a freaking electron microscope and hope that the plating process didn’t destroy the sample.

Re: Australia gives world-first approval for fecal transplants to restore gut health

#52

Post by stevenwoo »

LinuxBender wrote: post #2

Out of curiosity, how does this compare to mixing diverse cultures of probiotics with short chained fatty acids and injecting them rectally?

Not exactly your question, but my reading of The Gene: An Intimate History says any microbiome changes from eating fermented foods like yogurt/kefir/kimchi disappears when the food leaves ones diet. This was published in 2015 so could be superceded by subsequent studies in same field and I didn't bother researching the studies referenced in the book, either. The book also talks about successful uses of fecal matter transplants (FMT) for c. difficile treatment, and it worked about 90% of the time, but required a periodic refresh because none of the patients in the studies could maintain the healthy microbiome without the FMT after a year or so.

Re: Australia gives world-first approval for fecal transplants to restore gut health

#53

Post by jijojv »

GutThing wrote: post #26

I have a gut problem. I don't really know what it is. It's been like 4 or 5 years since it started. Doctors don't seem to know what's going on but basically my stomach acid destroys my throat and I can even feel the acidity in my mouth but I don't have heartburn or any other common symptoms. I've been on omeprazole and other PPI and several more drugs without any improvement. In all these years it stopped for around…

I recommend trying apple cider vinegar https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=apple+cider+vin...

Re: Australia gives world-first approval for fecal transplants to restore gut health

#54

Post by GutThing »

jijojv wrote: post #53
GutThing wrote: post #26

I have a gut problem. I don't really know what it is. It's been like 4 or 5 years since it started. Doctors don't seem to know what's going on but basically my stomach acid destroys my throat and I can even feel the acidity in my mouth but I don't have heartburn or any other common symptoms. I've been on omeprazole and other PPI and several more drugs without any improvement. In all these years it stopped for around…

I recommend trying apple cider vinegar https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=apple+cider+vin...

Thank you, but I already did.

Re: Australia gives world-first approval for fecal transplants to restore gut health

#55

Post by GutThing »

EarlKing wrote: post #40
GutThing wrote: post #26

I have a gut problem. I don't really know what it is. It's been like 4 or 5 years since it started. Doctors don't seem to know what's going on but basically my stomach acid destroys my throat and I can even feel the acidity in my mouth but I don't have heartburn or any other common symptoms. I've been on omeprazole and other PPI and several more drugs without any improvement. In all these years it stopped for around…

A number of studies have found a correlation between changes in the bacterial population of the distal esophagus and the onset of symptoms consistent with gastro-esophageal reflux disease and/or Barrett's Esophagus.[1][2][3][4] Your average practitioner doesn't necessarily keep up with trade journals, so it's unlikely most of them have any idea this is even a possibility. What likely happened is as follows: Taking an…

Thank you.

Re: Australia gives world-first approval for fecal transplants to restore gut health

#56

Post by GutThing »

samingrassia wrote: post #48
GutThing wrote: post #26

I have a gut problem. I don't really know what it is. It's been like 4 or 5 years since it started. Doctors don't seem to know what's going on but basically my stomach acid destroys my throat and I can even feel the acidity in my mouth but I don't have heartburn or any other common symptoms. I've been on omeprazole and other PPI and several more drugs without any improvement. In all these years it stopped for around…

What you are describing is LPR/respiratory reflux/silent reflux. It’s likely caused by diet, stress and posture that causes issues with the lower esophageal sphincter and unlikely to be bacterial overgrowth. Check this whole blog out if you can: https://jamiekoufman.com/silent-reflux-silent-night/

Thank you.

I'll read more about LPR.

Re: Australia gives world-first approval for fecal transplants to restore gut health

#58

Post by dombesz »

GutThing wrote: post #26

I have a gut problem. I don't really know what it is. It's been like 4 or 5 years since it started. Doctors don't seem to know what's going on but basically my stomach acid destroys my throat and I can even feel the acidity in my mouth but I don't have heartburn or any other common symptoms. I've been on omeprazole and other PPI and several more drugs without any improvement. In all these years it stopped for around…

I suggest you to find a good gastroenterologist who is familiar with gut flora restoration treatments. My dad had this reflux issue for ~10 years, and we are both on a 1 year low fodmap diet combined with probiotics treatment. I have to say this is the best improvement that happened in our lives. I was bloated and had digestion issues from a young age that followed me, but now that is gone. No bloating, and no digestion issues at all. Doc says, the gut new gut flora will get strong within 1 year and then we can resume eating everything.

Re: Australia gives world-first approval for fecal transplants to restore gut health

#59

Post by jamestdsmith »

GutThing wrote: post #26

I have a gut problem. I don't really know what it is. It's been like 4 or 5 years since it started. Doctors don't seem to know what's going on but basically my stomach acid destroys my throat and I can even feel the acidity in my mouth but I don't have heartburn or any other common symptoms. I've been on omeprazole and other PPI and several more drugs without any improvement. In all these years it stopped for around…

Really sorry to hear your story.

I spend 2.5 years diagnosed with acid reflux due to waking up with a horrible taste in my mouth. It was awful, I’d wake up at 3am every night and could rarely get back to sleep.

After years of tests - they all came up blank. I was then referred to an ENT doctor. Diagnosed a nasal drip issue (mucus dripping down my throat) causing the horrible taste and I was virtually cured in 2 weeks.

Re: Australia gives world-first approval for fecal transplants to restore gut health

#60

Post by GutThing »

jamestdsmith wrote: post #59
GutThing wrote: post #26

I have a gut problem. I don't really know what it is. It's been like 4 or 5 years since it started. Doctors don't seem to know what's going on but basically my stomach acid destroys my throat and I can even feel the acidity in my mouth but I don't have heartburn or any other common symptoms. I've been on omeprazole and other PPI and several more drugs without any improvement. In all these years it stopped for around…

Really sorry to hear your story. I spend 2.5 years diagnosed with acid reflux due to waking up with a horrible taste in my mouth. It was awful, I’d wake up at 3am every night and could rarely get back to sleep. After years of tests - they all came up blank. I was then referred to an ENT doctor. Diagnosed a nasal drip issue (mucus dripping down my throat) causing the horrible taste and I was virtually cured in 2 weeks…

When my GP asked the ENT to see me, he said he wouldn't because this was a gastrointestinal issue.

I'll visit a private doctor to see if they can help me.

Post reply on HN