A Western Diet Found to Increase Odds of Gut Inflammation, Infection

(Newswire.net — February 24, 2022) Orlando, FL — Certain eating patterns have long been studied due to their impacts on health. The unhealthy ones have long been linked with a myriad of undesirable health issues.

A study has shown that consumption of a Western diet causes impairment in the gut’s immune system in such a way that it increases the risk of infection and inflammatory bowel disease. 

This study involved mice and people as subjects. It particularly revealed that a diet loaded with fat and sugar leads to damage to the Paneth cells, which are immune cells in the gut that aid in keeping inflammation in check. 

It is worth noting that improper functioning of the Paneth cells makes the gut immune system increasingly susceptible to inflammation. This doesn’t just increase the risk of inflammatory bowel disease but also undermines effective control of disease-causing microbes. 

The findings of this research were published in Cell Host & Microbe.

It paves the way to new approaches in regulating gut immunity through the restoration of normal Paneth cell function.

“Inflammatory bowel disease has historically been a problem primarily in Western countries such as the U.S., but it’s becoming more common globally as more and more people adopt Western lifestyles,” said lead author Ta-Chiang Liu, MD, Ph.D.

Liu is an associate professor of pathology & immunology at Washington University. 

“Our research showed that long-term consumption of a Western-style diet high in fat and sugar impairs the function of immune cells in the gut in ways that could promote inflammatory bowel disease or increase the risk of intestinal infections.”

It is worth keeping in mind that Paneth cell impairment is a key feature of inflammatory bowel disease. For instance, individuals with Crohn’s disease usually have Paneth cells that have already stopped working.

Years of research have been warning against the dangerous health effects of following the Western diet. Experts strongly recommend the intake of healthy foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and even mushrooms.

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