Gut microbes could drive brain disorders • Hacker News Board

Re: Gut microbes could drive brain disorders

#31

Post by Madmallard » Sat, Feb 25, 2023, 7:52 PM UTC

superpope99 wrote: post #10

rajup wrote: post #6

How does one know one has a healthy gut? Is it possible to have the wrong gut micro biome but not have any gastrointestinal symptoms?

There are companies who will sequence your gut microbiome and give you actionable insights - full disclosure I work for one https://joinzoe.com/

Yeah there isn’t randomized controlled trials or systematic review on any of this stuff so your company is glorified snake oil and you really should be ashamed. Get the evidence first before trying to take people’s money (AND data!).

Re: Gut microbes could drive brain disorders

#32

Post by samstave » Sat, Feb 25, 2023, 7:57 PM UTC

11235813213455 wrote: post #21

I had schizophrenia and still have, but it's now not as prevalent after years of eating mostly vegetable, raw, and very ripe, fermented sometimes (like when peppers, onions, garlic for example are getting soft, people usually call them "rotten", but I prefer them like this actually, there can even be some bacteria formation on it, it doesn't matter). That with regular walking/running outdoor helped me so much. A typi…

I have a suggestion for a test for you ;

A Yogi master I once knew said to not eat onions (nightshades) as they interfere with your psychic aura or something.

Since you seem to have a handle on your diet, may I request you do an cleanse of sorts and not eat onions for ~1 month and report if you feel any differences?

Re: Gut microbes could drive brain disorders

#33

Post by ChildOfChaos » Sat, Feb 25, 2023, 7:59 PM UTC

Madmallard wrote: post #31

superpope99 wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There are companies who will sequence your gut microbiome and give you actionable insights - full disclosure I work for one https://joinzoe.com/

Yeah there isn’t randomized controlled trials or systematic review on any of this stuff so your company is glorified snake oil and you really should be ashamed. Get the evidence first before trying to take people’s money (AND data!).

What? Zoe is co-founded by Tim Spector, who is very well respected epidemiologist, Zoe did a lot of work in the UK on Covid tracking and Tim was awarded an OBE for his work, are you aware of that or just painting it with the same brush as all these snake oil startups?

Re: Gut microbes could drive brain disorders

#34

Post by gavinray » Sat, Feb 25, 2023, 8:02 PM UTC

That humans are by and large a host for the bacteria in our gut and elsewhere -- and the degree to which these (happy or unhappy) tenants can impact our behavior -- is something I constantly struggle to find controversial.

Look at the mountain of studies on T. Gondii alone, and then tell me with a straight face the several dozen odd other strains present in our gut microbiome under normal working conditions don't exert any similar sort of effect.

"Happy bacteria, happy host" is my motto, I try to do things within reason to appease our tiny bacterial overloads.

(Unless you get a bad bacteria, then condolences to you)

Re: Gut microbes could drive brain disorders

#35

Post by oblib » Sat, Feb 25, 2023, 8:03 PM UTC

11235813213455 wrote: post #21

I had schizophrenia and still have, but it's now not as prevalent after years of eating mostly vegetable, raw, and very ripe, fermented sometimes (like when peppers, onions, garlic for example are getting soft, people usually call them "rotten", but I prefer them like this actually, there can even be some bacteria formation on it, it doesn't matter). That with regular walking/running outdoor helped me so much. A typi…

I read not long ago about a connection between gut bugs and schizophrenia and how probiotics may help with that too. Looks to me like your diet may be doing the same thing.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S014976342...

Re: Gut microbes could drive brain disorders

#36

Post by bolangi » Sat, Feb 25, 2023, 8:04 PM UTC

So maybe all those natural healers with their potions and powders and diet recommendations, ridiculed in unconditional advocacy of western medicine, could help in ways unrecognized till now.

Re: Gut microbes could drive brain disorders

#37

Post by 11235813213455 » Sat, Feb 25, 2023, 8:06 PM UTC

heyoni wrote: post #27

11235813213455 wrote: post #21

I had schizophrenia and still have, but it's now not as prevalent after years of eating mostly vegetable, raw, and very ripe, fermented sometimes (like when peppers, onions, garlic for example are getting soft, people usually call them "rotten", but I prefer them like this actually, there can even be some bacteria formation on it, it doesn't matter). That with regular walking/running outdoor helped me so much. A typi…

Do you know how many calories you’re getting with this?

I don't measure anyhing to be honest, I stop eating when I'm full, and only 1 or 2 meal a day

It gives me enough energy to go get this food with my bike, 15km away at markets, also helping merchants, I do this twice per week. The rest of the time I work remotely for me real employer

The amount of calories is not only relevant, the way to digest it efficiently as well

Re: Gut microbes could drive brain disorders

#38

Post by zargon » Sat, Feb 25, 2023, 8:10 PM UTC

felixbraun wrote: post #20

Wonnk13 wrote: post #2

I've dealt with colon cancer in 2016 and again now in the present. I don't what the hell is driving it, but the gut biome is fascinating. It's definitely made me look at my diet and food variety much more seriously. I've started taking probiotics, drinking kombucha from time to time and adopting a more whole food / plant based diet. Does it have an affect? who the heck knows.

Doing the exact opposite might help — probiotics feed harmful bacteria as well and a different strategy would be to simply try to keep your microbiome as basic and unintrusive as possible, allowing the gut to calm and heal. It’s easier said than done; recommend looking into natural antibiotics (eg cooked white button mushrooms), indigestible fibre to ensure regular movements, which more than anything lowers endotoxin…

Probiotics do not feed bacteria, they are bacteria. SCFAs, butyrate, etc. are critical components for overall health, and especially in colon health and the normal functioning of apoptosis and other mechanisms. Prebiotic plant fiber feeds the healthy bacteria which produce those. Eating WFPB helps the healthy bacteria thrive and starve out the bad ones. Trying to intentionally repress the entire microbiome is a recipe for creating an opening for unhealthy bacteria to take over, while also depriving the body of healthy microbiome byproducts.

Re: Gut microbes could drive brain disorders

#39

Post by 11235813213455 » Sat, Feb 25, 2023, 8:10 PM UTC

samstave wrote: post #26

11235813213455 wrote: post #21

I had schizophrenia and still have, but it's now not as prevalent after years of eating mostly vegetable, raw, and very ripe, fermented sometimes (like when peppers, onions, garlic for example are getting soft, people usually call them "rotten", but I prefer them like this actually, there can even be some bacteria formation on it, it doesn't matter). That with regular walking/running outdoor helped me so much. A typi…

Forgive the following joke, however, I feel you may like it: Spoken dead-pan style in Steven Wright's voice: - "I used to have schizophrenia, but they still have it"

Well I'm still crazy, but at least I'm more aware of it, and can control and accept it (no more OCDs though)

Re: Gut microbes could drive brain disorders

#40

Post by sosilkj » Sat, Feb 25, 2023, 8:11 PM UTC

porphyra wrote: post #30

sosilkj wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

(Disclaimer upfront: I am not a doctor or medical professional.) Kombucha often contains some alcohol. I'd suggest being cautious about alcohol consumption - frankly, eliminating it altogether from your diet would be my personal suggestion; there is evidence of increased risk of colon cancer from alcohol. Just grabbing the first thing I found: "Moderate to heavy alcohol consumption is associated with 1.2- to 1.5-fold…

Isn't kombucha way less than "moderate to heavy alcohol consumption"? Besides, small amounts of alcohol form naturally from stuff fermenting in your gut. To be honest, I would be more concerned about my tooth enamel degrading from heavy kombucha consumption (as it is very acidic) rather than the alcohol content.

It seems like the question you're posing is: in the context of colon cancer risk, if one's alcohol consumption isn't enough to reach the category of "moderate", does that mean the increased risk is zero (or insignificant)? I don't know the answer to that. That's something that could perhaps be determined by reviewing the literature.

Edit: Not that anyone cares, but I guess I'll say a bit more: I don't know what brand of kombucha OP drinks, or how much of it, and how many grams of alcohol that sums up to, and what the current body of research says (or doesn't) regarding the precise amount of risk incurred or not from that amount of alcohol ... but the fact is, there's extensive research on the association between alcohol and cancer and I stand by the suggestions that someone dealing with recurrent colon cancer should be cautious about alcohol consumption, and that it could be worth reviewing existing research on the matter.