This is how sugar damages immunity. A new discovery will discourage people from drinking sweetened beverages.
Bacteria living in the intestines of animals and humans have evolved together with their hosts and are an indispensable condition for the good health of the entire organism, not just the digestive system - remind scientists from the Technion, Israel Institute of Technology.
More and more studies are showing this.
These bacteria have the ability to adapt to changing living conditions, including those related to diet.
A team led by Professor Naama Geva-Zatorsky and her colleagues at the Technion had previously discovered that gut bacteria use a process known as DNA inversion. This is a rapid change in which a section of the genome is flipped 180 degrees, allowing them to quickly adapt to a new situation.
In a new experiment, the same research group found that sweetened beverages cause this type of inversion in Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, a common gut bacterium that helps reduce inflammation in the gut.
Scientists examined the effect of consuming various dietary components on the DNA inversion profile of these microorganisms in laboratory conditions, in mice, and in humans. They found that consuming white sugar caused DNA inversions in these bacteria, which led to changes in inflammatory markers, including changes in T cell populations and cytokine secretion.
Changes in intestinal permeability were also observed.
The good news, the researchers emphasize, is that the effects described are reversible. After changing the diet, the bacterial profile returned to normal and the immune system functioned properly.
This study demonstrates the importance of examining the complex impact of diet on the microbiome and human health. The researchers estimate that this approach will allow for the development of personalized nutritional recommendations for individuals that will improve their immune system function and overall health.
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