Single-strain and multistrain probiotics can be beneficial for specific clinical applications.1,2 Potential advantages of multistrain probiotic supplements are a broader spectrum of health benefits (compared to intake of a single probiotic strain) and synergistic effects of the individual probiotic strains.2 Clinical trial results on a new, high colony-forming units (CFU) count combination of 8 strains of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium probiotics were recently published in Integrative Medicine: A Clinician’s Journal.3 The study evaluated the short-term impact of consumption of one capsule…

by Molly Knudsen, MS, RDN It’s no secret: The United States is getting grayer. More gray hair, that is. In 2018, the number of Americans 65 years and older reached 52 million.1 That number is projected to practically double to 95 million, or nearly one in every four Americans by 2060.1,2 This rise in an aging population will result in some unique challenges such as strain to the elder care resources, additional healthcare costs, and the need of addressing chronic…

by Cassie Story, RDN Abstract: Although it was not identified and isolated until the 1930s, vitamin C has been known to protect against and treat certain disease states since the 18th century. Ask any health care practitioner to recall the first nutrient deficiency they learned about, and vitamin C will likely top the list. Images of sailors in the 1700s returning to shore with bleeding gums, fatigue, and even death due to a deficiency in this potent, water-soluble, antioxidant micronutrient…

by Melissa Blake, ND Immune resilience has never been more important or desired than in the past year. As a result of a global pandemic, patients and practitioners alike are seeking effective solutions to ensure a robust immune defense. Outside of the current COVID-19 concerns, respiratory tract infections (RTIs) pose a significant burden and are, in children, elderly, and immunocompromised individuals, the most prevalent diseases globally.1 A well-balanced gut microbiota is associated with protection against various diseases, including respiratory infections,…

The ketogenic diet (KD) is a low-carbohydrate, high-fat, adequate-protein diet that has proven to be effective for the reversal of several chronic conditions including obesity, metabolic syndrome, and type-2 diabetes (T2DM) in trials of up to two years.1 However, the degree of therapeutic response to KD varies across individuals.2,3 For example, some KD dieters lose more weight than others, and, while most of them improve their blood lipids, so-called “high responders” experience abnormal increases in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). Many…

by Anu Desai, PhD Messenger RNA (mRNA) is a single-stranded molecule of genetic code found in all living cells. As a chemical intermediary, mRNA carries instructions from deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) in our chromosomes to cellular machinery in the cytoplasm of the cell to make proteins.1 Over the past decade, research and technological innovations progressed rapidly in the field of vaccine development enabling mRNA as a promising therapeutic tool. There has been research on mRNA vaccines for infectious agents, such as…

by Michael Stanclift, ND Many of us have been using omega-3 fats, such as fish oil, for managing inflammatory conditions. Interestingly, fish oil and special molecules made from them called specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs) have big impacts on our immune system and play an important role in the activity of immune cells. The key lies in how fats such as the ones found in fish oil influence the behavior of the white blood cells (WBCs) of our immune system. Our…

by Anu Desai, PhD Pollution and toxic elements Environmental pollution and toxins from plastics, pesticides, smoke, contaminated water, and food have the potential to greatly impact human health.1 These toxic loads cause inflammatory and autoimmune responses, including neurodegenerative conditions including Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), and multiple sclerosis (MS).2-4 More recently, some efforts have been made to minimize the exposures to pollutants in the long run, such as: using BPA-free plastics, attempting to reduce greenhouse gasses, and incorporating clean-energy…

In this interview, Joan Claria, PhD discusses the discovery that a resolution deficit occurs in obesity. Dr. Claria outlines the important role that specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs) play in adipose tissue and metabolic health, and outlines future potential for SPM-based therapies in the management of fatty liver disease. Joan Claria, PhD is Professor at the Department of Biomedical Sciences at the School of Medicine of the University of Barcelona, Spain From the 16th International Conference on Bioactive Lipids in Cancer,…