THE LAYER ORIGIN NUTRITION BLOG

Recipe 1: HMO Super Booster Spinach Shmoothie

Recipe 2: HMO Hot Dark Chocolate SHMOOO Shot

Recipe 3: HMOssprinkle on porridge oats with fresh fruit compote

• Recipe 1: Apple Peel & Almond Date Balls 

• Recipe 2: Slow Oats With Apple Peel Powder

In a recent Nature review article entitled “The potential of tailoring the gut microbiome to prevent and treat cardiometabolic disease”, Chakaroun et al outline the field’s current understanding of the link between the microbiome and CVD, and explore the ways in which this may be leveraged for health outcomes. Let's dive in. 

SCFAs produced in the gut have been shown to bind to receptors on muscle cells and trigger the release of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1). In doing so, they promote glucose uptake and oxidation within muscle. Thus, SCFAs promote the maintenance of healthy muscle that is more capable of producing myokines that can go on to confer effects like appetite regulation at the level of the central nervous system.

In this article, we will use a short review conducted by Spicer et al. (2022) to understand how HMOs can fight bad bacteria.

The review investigates the bacterial resistance to antibiotics that has evolved since the 1940s when they were first prescribed and how antimicrobial properties of HMOs are being developed to combat this. 

The mother’s own pathogen-specific maternal antibodies are passed to baby and offer almost instant protection in the early months of life. Consumption of HMOs results in health benefits that would not be possible without them, and their interaction with bacteria, protozoa and viruses could reduce the risk of specific infections. This article summarizes: 

• What are human milk oligosaccharides?
• How do HMOs affect early life immune development?
• How does the interaction take place?

Take a look at a consumer's gut microbiome data before and after taking PureHMO, and see what beneficial bacteria have been boosted by PureHMO.

Packed with antioxidants, vitamins, and fibre, the skin of an apple has numerous health benefits, particularly for your own skin. Have you ever heard the phrase, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away?” Of course, you have. Now join us on a voyage of discovery as we tell you the sciences behind this age-old saying.

A natural compound called urolithin A (UA), which is produced by gut microbes, could possess anti-ageing properties due to its antioxidative effects and its ability to boost mitochondrial health. This article presents 2 ways that you can use to get more urolithin A (UA) into your body.

In a 2020 systematic review entitled “The gut microbiome, aging, and longevity: a systematic review”, Badal et al dive into the age-associated changes in microbiota diversity, composition, and function. Here, we will provide an overview of their findings and the actionable implications. 

In a recent review published in the journal Genome Medicine entitled “Metabolic control by the microbiome”, Cox et al review some of the most well-established currently characterized microbiome-host interactions to help inform the development of microbiota-based therapeutics and diagnostics. Here, we will summarize their findings and outline the implications for the development of novel microbiome-centered technologies. 

A recent paper research paper in the journal Cell by the international Multiple Sclerosis Microbiome Study (iMSMS) consortium entitled “Gut microbiome of multiple sclerosis patients and paired household healthy controls reveals associations with disease risk and course” demonstrates that key species of bacteria are over-represented in the guts of MS patients, and that MS therapeutics modulated microbial composition and metabolism. In this blog, we will review the findings of this paper and discuss its implications. 

Hundreds of people have seen great success by following the "2-Day Core Pattern" diet protocol that is outlined in the 2020 book, The Immunity Code. 

However, the actual menu to follow can be confusing for readers, so we put together this handy guide to explain what you should be eating during the protocol. 

Stress is a reaction to so many areas of our lives, and as a result, in many cases this leads to a condition called dysmotility. It occurs because of a neurological reaction that causes the muscles or nerves within the digestive tract to become affected to the point of disruption. So, the digestive process no longer works as it should. Dysmotility leads to interruption of the absorption of nutrients and has a direct impact on how you will perform on a social and professional level. Can HMO, 2'-FL, helps with the stress-induced gut dysmotility? Read more to find out. 

Can Human Milk Oligosaccharides Support Normal Bowel Function and Improve Symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome? What does the clinical studies say? 

Overall, the study concluded that the ingestion of a 4:1 oral mix of the HMOs, 2’FL and LNnT improved abdominal pain, stool consistency, bloating, and the severity of the condition. Not only did the study demonstrate that HMOs could improve the quality of life of IBS patients, but it was the first large-scale study to show that HMO supplementation can improve IBS symptoms.

One bacterial infection which has developed new, highly toxic and drug-resistant strains is Clostridium difficile. In this article, we will be looking at a research study conducted by El-Hawiet et al (2011)[ii] which investigated the use of human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) as potential inhibitors of C. difficile'stoxins to suppress its disease-causing capabilities.

In a review article hot off the press at Nature Reviews Microbiology entitled “Microbiome-based therapeutics”, the authors outline five primary clinical approaches currently implemented to facilitate microbiome restoration, modulation, and mimicry. These strategies are:

• Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT)
• Symbiotic microbial consortia
• Diet and prebiotics
• Engineered symbiotic bacteria
• Microbiota-derived proteins and metabolites 

The dissemination of strategies that individuals can use to extinguish the fire of inflammation is prudent. In this article, we will outline here dietary and supplemental protocols anyone can use at home to shift their guts and their bodies into an anti-inflammatory state. 

“The Immunity Code”, author Joel Greene outlines some of the major benefits of sleep, how many people in our society are unconsciously sabotaging their sleep, and how to optimize sleep to improve health and slow down aging. 

The extent to which the microbiome is affected by antibiotic use depends on the type of antibiotic administered, with broad-spectrum antibiotics eliciting the most damage. During and after use of narrow-spectrum antibiotics, consuming foods to feed your gut bacteria, can help prevent deleterious effects on the microbiome. 

Following broad-spectrum antibiotic use, the gradual introduction fermented foods, prebiotics, and diverse sources of fibers facilitates the repopulation of the gut and diversification of the microbes therein.

Not only does the microbiome influence the immune system itself, it also impacts the efficacy of immunotherapies in the treatment of cancer, namely immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Moreover, the microbes within the gut can either positively or negatively impact the immunosurveillance mechanisms that are responsible for finding and eliminating cancer cells in the body before tumor formation. Additionally, pathogens within the gut ecosystem can create metabolites that directly promote cancer onset and progression, while symbionts can create metabolites that can counter these damaging effects. 

IBS is a disease characterized by various forms of gastric discomfort, and the mechanism by which it develops remains largely elusive. However, dietary triggers and unfavorable changes to the microbiome are likely two of the most prominent factors driving symptomology. Although a low FODMAP diet can provide acute relief, it is associated with poor markers of gut health, and should thus only be used in the short-to-moderate term. What are the long-term solutions?

A Nature Medicine study published earlier this year entitled “Cross-cohort gut microbiome associations with immune checkpoint inhibitor response in advanced melanoma” outlines the critical roles of the gut microbiome in mediating the benefits of cancer immunotherapies in the treatment of melanoma. At a high level, this paper is an important reminder of just how instrumental the gut microbiome is to aspects of health that appear unrelated to the gut at first blush.  

Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is a Gram-positive microbe that resides in both the colon and in the urogenital tracts of women, and is detected in around 30% of adults. Despite its prevalence, GBS is a major cause of death and illness in newborns who can be exposed to the pathogen during vaginal birth. GBS may also infect the uterus during pregnancy, which leads to prolonged exposure and increased risk of infection. Many subsequent research endeavors were undertaken to understand the interaction of GBS and HMOs. The findings include growth inhibition of GBS by specific HMOs independent of the host immune system and modulation of GBS biofilm integrity. 

Back in 2005, researchers discovered that ingestion of specific foods triggered the onset of severe symptoms of FGIDs in some people. In healthy individuals, FODMAP foods are not digested in the small intestine of the human digestive tract. Instead, they move to the large intestine where they are easily fermented by the bacteria that inhabit the colon. However, is the FODMAP diet good for your gut microbiome? What is the best way to adopt FODMAP diet?

Three of the most studied HMOs are 2’FL, 3’SL, and 6’SL — let’s take a closer look at how these molecules impact our brain and what the research is telling us about HMOs and cognition.

2’-FL is the most abundant HMO found in human milk and was the first HMO to be added to infant formula. The 2’FL is most strongly linked to immune health, brain development, and fighting inflammation. The ​​sialylated HMOs—3’SL and 6’SL—also are known to benefit brain health, as sialic acid is an essential nutrient to form compounds critical to cognitive function.

This article answers the following questions about SIBO: 

• What Is SIBO?
• What Are the Symptoms of SIBO? 
• What Are the Top Risk Factors For SIBO?
• How to Test and Diagnose SIBO？
• What Are the Current Treatments For SIBO? 
• Can HMOs Help With SIBO? 

Since the discovery of Bifidobacteria in the late 1800’s, it really has grown, not only in the number of strains, but also in popularity. Its benefits to us are plentiful, from our first moments on the planet it becomes an important partner in developing our microbiome and gets busy producing numerous vitamins, and important chemicals as well as aiding in the repair and protection of our health. All of this with the only price tag being, having a good lifestyle and eating the right foods. 

What is Prevotella copri? Prevotella copri is often found in non-western gut microbiomes, particularly those that consume increased levels of fibr. P. copri may be in the spotlight when it comes to inflammatory diseases but the good health giving properties must also be given the chance to shine. How about succinate? Let's see what exactly Prevotella copri can do to our gut community and our overall health?

In this article we are going to look at the association between HMOs and Akkermansia muciniphila,and the benefits of Akkermansia to human gut microbiome and gut health. The article will focus on the findings from a research study by Kostopoulos et al, (2020) to understand how this well-studied anaerobic bacterium interacts with human milk oligosaccharides (HMO’s) and help you understand how and why Akkermansia can utilize HMO as their energy source. 

Within the more than 40 observational studies conducted in humans to assess the relationship between type 2 diabetes and the microbiome, a few genera popped out as being the most significantly altered in patients with type 2 diabetes relative to healthy controls. Specifically, the following bacteria showed a negative association with type 2 diabetes, meaning that populations of these bacteria were diminished in the diabetic patients: Bifidobacterium, Bacteroides, Faecalibacterium, Akkermansia, Rosburia. Read the article and find out what you can do to reduce the risk of getting diabetes. 

The development, regulation, and function of the immune system is now known to be inextricably linked to and dependent upon the presence of microorganisms with the ecosystem of the body. We will cover three primary focuses in this article: the effects of aging on the microbiome and the immune system; the impact of age-related shifts in microbiome structure on the health of the host; prebiotic and probiotic interventions geared towards prevent these age-related declines.

The microbiome is inextricably linked to the functioning of our bodies in both health and disease. A review hot off the press in the prestigious journal Science entitled “The microbiome and gut homeostasis” outlines the parameters that can be used to define dysbiosis and homeostasis when it comes to the microbiome by exploring the role of host physiology and metabolism in microbiota composition. 

Roseburiais a bacterial genus belonging to theFirmicutesphylum, which is known for its prolific butyrate-producing capabilities.

In the recent PREDICT program, researchers identified a particular strain,Roseburia sp. CAG: 182, to be one of the 15 ‘good’ gut microbes that are associated with good health outcomes.

The Veillonella genus is an interesting one, and many of its members have only recently been discovered. However, three strains have caught our eye because of their inclusion in the PREDICT 1 list of ‘good’ gut microbes. Each of them has interesting, potential health benefits, linked to insulin sensitivity and polyunsaturated fat levels.

But could it also be considered a performance-enhancing microbe, beneficial for athletes?