Microbiome

The first 1000 days of life lays the foundation for gut health

‘A good beginning is half the battle.’ The first 1,000 days of a child’s life, from conception to age two, have lifelong effects on their health and immunity.

Gut Bifidobacterium decrease with age: from infancy to elderly

A balanced gut microbiome has a significant impact on immunity, metabolism, and trophic function. When our gut health loses its equilibrium and dysbiosis occurs, harmful bacteria can thrive, increasing the risk of developing a range of diseases. Among the vast gut bacterial community are Bifidobacterium spp., a beneficial bacteria that regulate the intestinal immunity and play a significant role in the protection of the intestinal barrier.

Research: Restore gut microbiome speeds long COVID recovery

The Omicron variant of COVID-19 has gradually replaced Delta and ravaged the world. Although it is reported to be relatively mild, the post-acute COVID-19 syndrome (known as long COVID) such as shortness of breath, chest pains, dizziness, poor memory, insomnia, ‘brain fog’ and other symptoms cannot be ignored.

How might the gut dysbiosis affect insulin resistance in diabetes?

When people speak of the most common chronic illness in Singapore, diabetes always ranks among the top five. It is one of a number of chronic metabolic diseases that can do serious damage to the body. With over 400,000 Singaporeans living with the disease, the total number of sufferers is expected to rise to one million by 2050. Shockingly, about one third of diabetics are unaware that they have it, according to the Ministry of Health (MOH). The pathogenesis of diabetes is unclear, but recent studies have suggested a link between gut microbiome dysbiosis and insulin resistance in diabetes.

Research findings: COVID-19 can attack your gut

Coronavirus is often presented by a cluster of hallmark symptoms attacking the respiratory system and airways, including fever, sore throat, runny nose, dry cough and shortness of breath, and the gastrointestinal system also has its own battle against the virus, evidenced by abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea, which can precede fever and respiratory illness.

G-NiiB Immunity+ Formula SIM01 shows clinical benefits in COVID-19 patients

Hong Kong's fifth Covid-19 wave peaked in early March. With more than 10,000 daily cases have been reported, the fifth wave of the epidemic has accumulated more than 700,000 positive test cases and 4,000 patients have died.

B. adolescentis: A Key Gut Bacteria To Fight Long COVID

The new variant, Omicron, gradually replaced Delta and ravaged the world. However, no "countermeasures" have yet been found. Experts meanwhile have again discovered a subtype variant, BA.2. Although it is reported to be relatively mild, the post-acute COVID-19 syndrome (known as long COVID) such as tiredness, poor memory, insomnia, hair loss, anxiety and other symptoms cannot be ignored.

What is the difference? Prebiotics, Probiotics, Synbiotics, Postbiotics

There are all kinds of gut health products on the market, including "Probiotics", "Prebiotics", "Synbiotics" and "Postbiotics", all of which claim to improve immune function. What are they?

Research: Bifidobacterium adolescentis may help alleviate constipation

Our intestinal health and eating habits go hand in hand. Western-style dietary, known as high intake of red meat, saturated fat, processed foods, consume less fibre can give rise to frequent constipation.

G-NiiB Immunity Plus contains precious live bacteria - B. adolescentis

Gut microbiota modulate our immunity and disease severity of COVID-19, as well as vaccine efficacy. The unique microbiome precision formula in G-Niib ‘Immunity Plus’, developed by the Faculty of Medicine at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CU Medicine), contains the optimal ratio of 3+3 live beneficial bacteria. Its main ingredient ‘Bifidobacterium adolescentis’ is the most precious of live bacteria which aids antibody level regulation and enhances immunity.

Bifidobacteria Adolescentis - Power Up Your Immunity

The human gut microbiota enhances its host’s resistance to enteric pathogens via colonisation resistance. A healthy human intestine contains trillions of commensal bacteria. Chief among them is “Bifidobacterium adolescentis”, a major contributing factor in microbial balance, enhancement of gut barrier integrity and immuno-enhancement of the intestinal tract, and is recognized as the most precious species of Bifidobacterium.

Probiotic Supplements: Does Dosage Forms Matter?

Probiotic supplements can contain billions of live microorganisms that may potentially confer several health benefits, including protection against pathogenic microorganisms, inflammation, diabetes etc.

How to nurture your healthy gut bacteria – these are the solutions

There are more than 100 trillion microbes live inside our body. The human gut is chock full of a variety of bacteria, both good and bad. Each strain of probiotics has a different effect on our health. Despite the popularity of probiotics, do you know what they are and how to ensure their efficacy?

Patients with GERD have higher levels of 5 harmful bacteria

Gastrointestinal discomforts such as stomach pain and bloating are common urban diseases. If the feeling of "heartburn" frequently occurs after a meal, it may be a tell-tale sign of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), commonly known as acid reflux. GERD is a common digestive disorder that will affect both the oesophagus and duodenum.

Gut Food - Diet to boost gut microbiome

Diet is known to be one of the key drivers of microbiome variation. In our gastrointestinal tract, good and bad microorganisms coexist. While good bacteria regulates immunity, prevents infections, and helps produce nutrients; bad bacteria may cause intestinal inflammation, diarrhoea, constipation, depression, and in a worst-case scenario, colorectal cancer. Studies have pointed out that diet has a significant impact on gut health.

Research: balanced gut microbiome helps improve insomnia

Sleep accounts for one third of a person’s entire life. Sleep is crucial to our overall health and wellbeing, yet many of us take it for granted; some people have sleep disorders and don’t get the rest that they sorely need. Studies have shown that gut bacteria may influence normal sleep patterns by helping create important chemical messengers in the brain, such as serotonin and dopamine. Once the gut microbiota is out of balance, it can affect the metabolism of the intestine as well as the brain’s ability to regulate our sleep patterns and other physiological processes.

Four Major Differences In Gut Microbiome In Children With Autism

Cognition, behavior and emotion have long been regarded as functions of the brain, and is in turn affected by them, but it is now revealed that the gut microbiome plays a pivotal role in these three aspects. "Are you happy?" Many people think that the feeling of happiness is dominated by the brain's ability to produce the ‘happy’ hormone serotonin. In fact, just 2% resides in the brain while more than 90% is produced by the gut microbiome. Surprisingly, autism, which is a developmental disorder of the brain (patients have varying degrees of difficulty in social communication, language, and behavior), is actually closely related to the gut microbiome.

Research: Wisdom linked to gut bacteria diversity

The gut and brain seem to be unrelated organs that have very different effects on our health, but in recent years, scientists have discovered that the two are in fact connected through the gut-brain axis (GBA) to influence our emotions, anxiety, and depression. Gut bacteria play an important role in human health including human behaviour, and cognition, so it is no surprise the intestines have earned the moniker " the second brain". The latest research results from the University of California suggests  that people with diverse gut microbes possess higher intelligence and lower feelings of loneliness.

Scientist: Beneficial bacterial species found to be deficient in Covid patients

COVID-19, the novel coronavirus spreading across the globe has compelled governments around the world to implement a range of restrictive public health measures to reduce local transmissions of the virus. These measures might have been effective in slowing down the spread at the beginning, but viruses continued to mutate and created variants that were more contagious than the previous variants. Recent research has discovered that the common symptoms of gastrointestinal problems in patients i.e., the imbalance of the gut microbiome (dysbiosis) is closely related to the epidemic. Enhancing immunity is expected to resist invading virus and alleviate the epidemic.

Antibiotics weaken your immune system? Probiotic supplements help speed up gut microbiome restoration

Antibiotics are one of the most commonly used drugs in healthcare treatment. While they are used to prevent or treat bacterial infections, concern regarding their side effects and associated long-term health consequences is widely recognised.

Restoring balance in gut microbiota helps combat COVID-19

The balance of gut microbiota is beneficial to human health. But how do we maintain its balance, and how does it work? An earlier study by the Centre for Gut Microbiota Research at the Chinese University of Hong Kong revealed that gut dysbiosis not only weakens the human’s immune system, but it also closely linked to the COVID-19. Dr Joyce MAK, Specialist in Gastroenterology & Hepatology pointed out that an imbalance in gut microbiota (dysbiosis) is comparable to that found in COVID-19 patients. The abnormal gut microbiota (dysbiosis) persists even after the virus has cleared, which could contribute to lingering symptoms, known as ‘long COVID’, highlighting the importance of the balance in gut microbiota.

G-NiiB Immunity+ enhance vaccines safety & efficacy

Malaysia sees a spike in coronavirus cases in recent days. While herd immunity via mass scale vaccination is deemed to be the long-term solutions, there are continuous concern of individual on receiving vaccination. While seniors are believed to be the most vulnerable to coronavirus and potentially face a higher risk of severe illness once infected, the vaccine safety and possible side effects are the key concerns stopping them from getting vaccinated. Similarly, such concerns are found in various age groups.

New Finding: Gut Dysbiosis in COVID-19 Patients

The COVID-19 pandemic has been raging worldwide since its outbreak in December 2019. A recent study by a university in Hong Kong discovered that the composition of gut microbiota in coronavirus patients is concordant with disease severity. Patients had higher numbers of ‘bad bacteria’ and lacked certain ‘good bacteria’ known to regulate their immune system. What is worse is that an abnormal gut microbiota (dysbiosis) persists after clearance of the virus, which could contribute to lingering symptoms known as ‘Long COVID’. 

Causes of eczema – the most common skin condition in SG

Eczema (also known as atopic dermatitis) is the most common skin condition in Singapore, and incidences of eczema in the region are among the highest in the world. According to a report by the National Skin Centre (NSC), one in five children and one in 10 adults in Singapore suffer from eczema, resulting in the most common skin condition treated at the NSC. 

70% of our immune cells in the gut protect against viral infection

Singapore has one of the world’s highest vaccination rates with 80 per cent of its population receiving their full two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. While they are safe and effective, side effects of the jab may differ from person to person. Some recipients may experience little or no side effects, while others may experience serious adverse reactions. The efficacy and the side effects of vaccines may be associated with the health of the patient’s gut and immunity.

The gut: your second brain Five major diseases of Dysbiosis

There is no doubt that the gut’s primary function is the digestion of food, absorption of nutrients and excretion of waste, but scientists have discovered that our guts performs far beyond that. The enteric nervous system (ENS) in our guts communicates with the brain in our head, earning itself the monicker “second brain”, and is a considerable factor in the existence of certain diseases in our bodies including eczema, obesity, diabetes, and in our overall mental health including autism and depression. Scientists believe that our second brain gut is one of the most important organs in our body.