Junk food ingredient may be cause of bowel disease, research finds

A dairy ingredient in junk food may be responsible for rising rates of inflammatory bowel disease and other immune disorders.

Milk fat upsets the gut’s ecosystem, causing an influx of potentially harmful bacteria, scientists believe.
In some people, this can cause an extreme immune reaction, leading to irritable bowel syndrome and conditions such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
The discovery may explain why once rare immune disorders have become so common in the West over the past 50 years, study leader Professor Eugene Chang said.
He said this was the first mechanism that showed how western-style diets contributed to the rapid increase in IBD.
Tests carried out by the scientists have shown that milk fat – which is abundant in processed foods and confectionery – alters the composition of bacteria in the gut.
In certain people, this can disrupt the delicate balance between the immune system and the trillions of bugs – many beneficial – that live in the intestines.
After genetically susceptible mice were fed a diet high in milk fat, the rate at which they developed colitis trebled.

Read more: http://www.metro.co.uk/news/901989-junk-food-ingredient-may-be-cause-of-bowel-disease-research-finds#ixzz225nLAHqh

Doctors were certain I was anorexic. In fact, I was one of thousands with Crohn's

Looking back at teenage photos, Fiona Argo can barely recognise herself as the young woman with jutting collarbones and stick-thin legs. But she can see why concerned friends and family thought she was in the grip of an eating disorder.

Between the ages of 16 and 19, Fiona’s weight plummeted from 9½ stone to just 5st, extremely underweight for her 5ft 5in frame. Her periods stopped and her weight was so dangerously low she was told she was at risk of heart failure and even death.

She was diagnosed with anorexia and hospitalised. But while the diagnosis seemed obvious to doctors, friends and family, Fiona remained adamant she was not anorexic.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2100786/Crohns-disease-Doctors-certain-I-anorexic-I-chronic-bowel-disorder.html#ixzz1sCLYmGju

Bowel disorder deaths halved in three years by NHS care

Mortality among patients with inflammatory bowel conditions has halved in three years due to improvements in NHS care, according to a UK audit.

The third UK Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Audit carried out in 2010 uncovered substantial improvements in care for ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease since 2006. But it said testing and treatment could still improve.
The report found that deaths among patients with ulcerative colitis fell from 1.7% to 0.8% between 2006 and 2010.
NHS care has also lowered readmission rates for both diseases. The percentage of those seen by a specialist IBD nurse during hospital admission has doubled since the first round of the audit in 2006.
The report said testing for infections such as C. difficile could improve, and all patients should be given heparin where appropriate to prevent blood clots.
It advised that patients should always have a consultation with a specialist nurse if anti-inflammatory treatment is prescribed. All Crohn’s disease patients ought to see a dietician to prevent malnutrition and, if necessary, receive support to stop smoking.

Read More - http://www.gponline.com/News/article/1118395/bowel-disorder-deaths-halved-three-years-nhs-care/

Pill that shines a light on your tummy trouble

A tiny capsule that uses light to detect traces of blood inside the body could help doctors diagnose a range of digestive conditions more quickly.

The gadget, currently being trialled on 150 patients, is based on the technique used in alcohol breathalyser tests, which detects different compounds by measuring how much infrared light they absorb.

The capsule checks for 'occult' blood — small spots of blood — as it passes through the gastro-intestinal tract.



Patients are simply asked to swallow a tiny capsule and the light sensor transmits information as it passes through the body.



Bleeding in the digestive tract is a symptom rather than a disease, and a number of different conditions can be responsible. These include stomach ulcers, inflammatory bowel disease or cancer.

Read more - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2055835/Pill-shines-light-tummy-trouble.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

Vitamin D3 can help reduce Crohn's disease

Taking supplements of vitamin D3 reduces symptoms of Crohn's disease, the inflammatory bowel condition, according to a small study.


It found, in 15 people given either a low dose (1,000 International Units) of the vitamin or a high dose (10,000IU), those given the high dose had less symptoms after six months.


The researchers, from Weill-Cornell Medical Centre in New York, concluded: "Our interim analysis suggests that supplementation with 10,000 IU of Vitamin D3 may be an effective adjunctive therapy for ameliorating symptoms in Crohn's disease patients."


The results were presented at the annual conference of the American College of Gastroenterology.


Crohn's disease affects about 120,000 people in Britain. Higher incidence rates are found in countries closer the poles, leading to the theory that lack of exposure to UV light - essential for our bodies to manufacture vitamin D - is a cause.

Article source -
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/8860130/Vitamin-D3-can-help-reduce-Crohns-disease.html