Nutrition and the Gut Microbiome

The gut microbiome has been linked to a wide range of diseases including diabetes, autism, anxiety, and obesity and may affect how patients respond to chemotherapy or other medicines. How can the gut microbiome have so many roles? How does nutrition and the diet affect this? Scott Jackson, PhD, leader of the recently created Complex Microbial Systems Group at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) joins GW Integrative Medicine Podcast to discuss the gut microbiome and how nutrition interacts with this hot new organ. https://www.nist.gov/mml/bbd/microbial-metrology Dr. Jackson is leading international efforts to improve microbiome and metagenomic measurements by organizing inter-lab studies, developing reference materials and reference methods, and developing in vitro tools that allow us to better understand microbial community resilience and evolution. Prior to joining NIST, he was a principal investigator with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). At the FDA, his research focused on characterizing the global genomic diversity of enteric pathogens, with applications for food safety, bioforensics, and public health. ◘ Information from this Episode NIST, formerly known as the National Bureau of Standards, promotes and maintains measurement standards. It also has active programs for encouraging and assisting industry and science to develop and use these standards. Leigh A. Frame, PhD, MHS, mentions attending the Special Nutritional Requirements Workshop at the Natal Academy of Medicine where they discussed how fiber is not a nutrient with current definitions. The Proceedings of this Workshop have been released: https://bit.ly/2L4uxx8 Emeran Meyer, MD, a gut-brain connection expert, commented on the work on diet soda and the gut microbiome following the big New Your Times article, “The Germs that Love Diet Soda.” https://bit.ly/2Jz5i02 ◘ Related Content Blog Post: Say Hello to Our Little Friends: Toward Microbial BiotheraPOOtics and Diagnostics https://www.nist.gov/blogs/taking-measure/say-hello-our-little-friends-toward-microbial-biotherapootics-and-diagnostics High-Fiber Diet Shifts Gut Microbes, Lowering Blood Sugar in Diabetics https://www.the-scientist.com/the-nutshell/high-fiber-diet-shifts-gut-microbes-lowering-blood-sugar-in-diabetics-29977 How gut bacteria impact cancer treatment https://www.statnews.com/2018/04/02/gut-bacteria-cancer-stat-madness/ International Metagenomics and Microbiome Standards Alliance (IMMSA) https://microbialstandards.org/ ◘ Transcript https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/transcript-nutrition-gut-microbiome-integrative-medicine-and-health/ ◘ This podcast features the song “Follow Your Dreams” (freemusicarchive.org/music/Scott_Ho…ur_Dreams_1918) by Scott Holmes, available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial (01https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) license. ◘ Disclaimer: The content and information shared in GW Integrative Medicine is for educational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. The views and opinions expressed in GW Integrative Medicine represent the opinions of the host(s) and their guest(s). For medical advice, diagnosis, and/or treatment, please consult a medical professional.