https://medicalxpress.com/digestive-health-news/ en-us Latest health news and information about Digestive Health Prebiotic sodas have become more popular in recent years, with a wave of new products promising gut health benefits and low-calorie enjoyment. According to a new analysis, however, many of these beverages contain relatively little prebiotic fiber and more sugar than marketing claims might imply. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-prebiotic-sodas-typically-sugar-fiber.html Sat, 25 Jul 2026 11:30:03 EDT news704101940 A dream vacation, an exotic destination, a long-haul flight and finally some well-deserved rest. The problem is that many travelers arrive at their destination only to spend the first days of their vacation struggling with fatigue, sleep disturbances, low energy levels and digestive issues. Researchers from Wroclaw Medical University point out that these symptoms may be caused by more than classic jet lag. A growing body of evidence suggests that time zone changes also affect the trillions of bacteria living in our intestines. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-gut-jet-lag-days-vacation.html Fri, 24 Jul 2026 15:00:04 EDT news704118902 Researchers at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa have found that certain gut bacteria are linked to how quickly the body ages, providing new insight into the connection between the gut, health and longevity. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-gut-microbiome-reveals-molecular-clues.html Thu, 23 Jul 2026 12:20:04 EDT news704026201 Urbanization is one of the most consequential demographic shifts of the 21st century. As communities move from traditional or rural to urbanized ways of life, changes in diet, lifestyle and environmental exposures can influence many aspects of human biology and health. Research has shown that urbanization can alter the gut microbiome, the community of microorganisms inhabiting the digestive tract, but whether this transition follows a common pattern across different global populations has remained unclear. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-gut-microbiomes-distinct-trajectories-urbanization.html Wed, 22 Jul 2026 14:20:04 EDT news703946881 A multistate outbreak of cyclosporiasis has prompted a voluntary recall of iceberg lettuce sold by Taylor Farms de Mexico of Guanajuato, Mexico. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-fda-iceberg-lettuce-recall-false.html Mon, 20 Jul 2026 18:20:05 EDT news703781025 Cambridge researchers have shown how commonly used sweeteners slow the growth of certain gut bacteria. One sweetener in particular—isosteviol—when combined with the antidepressant duloxetine, significantly impaired two important gut bacteria linked to blood sugar regulation and gut health and may affect the body's immune responses. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-sweeteners-growth-important-gut-bacteria.html Thu, 16 Jul 2026 09:10:02 EDT news703407320 Colorectal or bowel cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers, affecting approximately 1 in 20 Australians. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-youre-young-bowel-cancer.html Wed, 15 Jul 2026 09:30:15 EDT news703326243 Cyclosporiasis is a gastrointestinal illness caused by the microscopic parasite Cyclospora. People contract cyclosporiasis by consuming food or water contaminated with feces containing Cyclospora parasites. Health officials have reported a notable increase in cases across multiple U.S. states this year compared with the same period in 2025. Since May 1, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has received reports of nearly 850 confirmed domestically acquired cases. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-qa-cyclosporiasis-cases.html Tue, 14 Jul 2026 06:11:49 EDT news703228273 More people are focusing on their gut health, as fibermaxxing goes mainstream, colorectal cancer rises among young adults and personalized gut microbiome treatments become increasingly popular. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-people-fermenting-food-millennia-focused.html Sun, 12 Jul 2026 03:44:27 EDT news703046648 Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common condition that affects more than 10% of the general population, causing recurrent abdominal pain, bloating, constipation and diarrhea. IBS is considered a disorder of gut-brain interaction, and previous research, including genetic research, has established links to nerve signaling, the nervous system and other conditions including anxiety and mood disorders. The exact biological mechanisms, however, have remained frustratingly difficult to pin down, leaving many patients without effective, targeted treatments. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-genetic-links-ibs-lipid-metabolism.html Thu, 09 Jul 2026 09:00:01 EDT news702712300 A parasite that causes severe, watery diarrhea is spreading across the United States, and health officials in Michigan are racing to explain an unusual surge in cases. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-michigan-states-unusual-spike-parasite.html Tue, 07 Jul 2026 19:40:01 EDT news702657817 Scientists at UT Health San Antonio, the academic health center of The University of Texas at San Antonio, have found a link between a bacterium in the gut microbiome (ecosystem) and lupus that could lead to more effective treatment of the disease, described in a study published in Nature Communications. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-potential-probiotic-treatment-lupus.html Thu, 25 Jun 2026 18:00:03 EDT news701626442 Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a condition characterized by abdominal pain, bloating and changes in bowel movements, estimated to affect between 10% and 15% of people worldwide. Past studies suggest that in many cases this condition is accompanied by anxiety, an emotional state marked by worry, fear and/or overthinking about specific life events. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-species-gut-bacteria-ease-anxiety.html Thu, 25 Jun 2026 08:00:02 EDT news701522887 University of Louisville researchers have discovered how a naturally occurring microbial compound may help protect the gut and support future treatment strategies for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-scientists-gut-power-fruits-nuts.html Wed, 24 Jun 2026 19:00:04 EDT news701538421 Researchers have long suspected that the gut microbiome—the community of bacteria and other microorganisms living in the intestine—is closely linked to colorectal cancer. In a new study published in Cell Host & Microbe, an international group of researchers from the Mi-EOCRC consortium spanning Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands, and including the Zeller and Zimmermann groups at EMBL Heidelberg, has carried out one of the most comprehensive analyses to date of the colorectal cancer-associated gut microbiome. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-robust-colorectal-cancer-signature-large.html Wed, 24 Jun 2026 13:00:07 EDT news701522904 A probiotic bioengineered by UBC Okanagan researchers to thrive in the inflamed gut is set to enter human clinical trials in Australia this summer, capping a decade-long effort to turn a beneficial bacterium into a treatment for inflammatory bowel disease. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-probiotic-human-trials.html Fri, 19 Jun 2026 10:00:08 EDT news701080322 Liver cancer is one of the fastest-rising causes of cancer-related deaths in the UK and the third-leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-liver-cancer-deaths-rapidly-tackling.html Wed, 17 Jun 2026 14:40:03 EDT news700920302 The Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Feinberg has a distinct strength in understanding how behavior and lifestyle influence gastrointestinal (GI) health. Through its work and in collaboration with the Northwestern Medicine Digestive Health Center, the division conducts research aimed at improving treatments for disorders of the digestive tract and related organs. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-evidence-behavioral-interventions-gastroenterology.html Tue, 16 Jun 2026 08:20:04 EDT news700809541 A detailed cellular study of Crohn's disease has mapped how gene activity changes across more than 50 cell types in the gut. The study provides an open resource of the genes that characterize each cell type and those whose activity shifts in disease, uncovering new molecular and cellular signatures of immune activity in the gut lining. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-crohn-atlas-gene-shifts-gut.html Mon, 15 Jun 2026 16:40:03 EDT news700752661 A new study is the first to investigate the effects of prebiotic xylo-oligosaccharides (XOS) on fatty liver in humans. The findings suggest the fiber supplement may reduce harmful metabolic byproducts in the gut and thereby improve liver health. Importantly, the composition of the gut microbiota before supplementation influences the benefits observed. The study was conducted by researchers from the University of Jyväskylä and the University of Eastern Finland and is published in npj Gut and Liver. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-dietary-fiber-supplement-fatty-liver.html Mon, 15 Jun 2026 15:20:07 EDT news700747604 The gut does much more than just digest food. Researchers at the University of Basel have discovered a surprising link between gut function, feeding and sleep in fruit flies. Their study adds to growing evidence that the gut communicates with the brain and can influence behavior. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-newborn-flies-gut-blockage-clues.html Sun, 14 Jun 2026 09:20:01 EDT news700413504 Millions of people worldwide are periodically or chronically affected by gut-related conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and gastroenteritis. Uncovering the physiological and biological processes that contribute to gut health could thus be highly valuable, as it might help devise more effective interventions to prevent and treat these ailments. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-gut-microbes-hormone-movement.html Thu, 11 Jun 2026 11:20:08 EDT news700394620 Picky eating is a challenge most parents are familiar with, but for parents of autistic children, severe selective eating can lead to nutritional deficiencies and place tremendous stress on the family. However, a new study from Constructor University Ph.D. candidate Sofya Bajaa has demonstrated a transformative new approach to treating severe selective eating in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Bajaa's newly developed Schmetterling Nutritional Behavior Intervention (NBI) program achieved dramatic improvements in dietary variety and nutritional intake over just 10 weeks. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-ten-week-therapy-empowers-parents.html Wed, 10 Jun 2026 16:20:08 EDT news700318348 Eating when the body is normally asleep appears to desynchronize the circadian clocks of different cell types in the intestines, a UT Southwestern Medical Center study suggests. The findings, published in PNAS, could help explain why shift work, jet lag and other environmental stressors that affect circadian rhythms are associated with irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, constipation and other gastrointestinal disorders. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-middle-night-gastrointestinal-issues.html Tue, 09 Jun 2026 12:20:04 EDT news700225795 Fiber is an essential part of a healthy diet. By eating a variety of plant-based foods, increasing fiber intake gradually and staying well hydrated, you can support gut health and overall well-being while making fiber goals more achievable and sustainable. Purna Kashyap, M.B.B.S., a gastroenterologist at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, offers tips to add fiber to your diet. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-fiber-gut-health-expert-kind.html Tue, 09 Jun 2026 09:00:02 EDT news700204502 Flatulence, or farting, is something people often joke about or find embarrassing when it happens unexpectedly. It is, however, an essential bodily function that allows the digestive system to keep pressure within the intestinal tract low and prevents painful stretching of the stomach and intestines. Even though it is normal to fart, it remains unclear what counts as a healthy number. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-people-gas-app.html Mon, 08 Jun 2026 10:00:05 EDT news700130400 It's no accident that we spend a third of our lives asleep. It is essential to our health, and even animals for whom resting is complicated—such as aquatic mammals that need to surface to breathe, or birds that go up to 10 days without touching dry land—manage to sleep with surprising adaptations. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-good-night-healthy-gut-bacteria.html Sun, 07 Jun 2026 20:30:02 EDT news699540301 Food insecurity may leave a measurable biological signature in the gut microbiome of children, according to new research presented at ASM Microbe 2026. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-food-insecurity-linked-gut-microbiome.html Sat, 06 Jun 2026 10:00:01 EDT news699885181 Abdominal pain before an important exam, nausea during intense stress, or sudden intestinal problems following difficult life experiences—many people regard such symptoms as a temporary bodily reaction. However, a growing body of evidence confirms that the relationship between the brain and the gut is far deeper. A publication co-authored by Professor Agata Mulak of Wroclaw Medical University indicates that gastrointestinal health is influenced not only by genes, diet and gut bacteria, but also by culture, social relationships, economic status and the way individuals function within society. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-culture-stress-social-life-gut.html Wed, 03 Jun 2026 21:00:01 EDT news699724201 When the intestinal lining breaks down, harmful gut bacterial antigens can slip into the bloodstream alongside nutrients. This breach in the gut's protective barrier, known as "leaky gut," is more than a digestive issue—it's a sign of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and has been increasingly linked to a number of chronic conditions. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-common-food-compound-key-leaky.html Mon, 01 Jun 2026 14:00:04 EDT news699537001