IBDanswers

February 2004 - Posts

• Porcine Whipworm Ova Safe for Treatment of IBD

  Just what we're all waiting for: a drink of Gatorade and worms to fix our guts. But if it works? Sign me up... Read More... Posted Monday, February 23, 2004 11:16 PM by bustagut | 0 Comments Filed under: Experimental, Treatment

• 5-ASA Therapy for Inflammatory Bowel Disease No Bar to Colon Cancer

  Keep having those yearly 'scopes if you've had IBD for a while: treatment with 5-aminosalicylate (5-ASA) does not prevent colorectal cancer in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Read More... Posted Monday, February 23, 2004 10:40 PM by bustagut | 0 Comments Filed under: Cancer, Treatment

• Antibiotic Use a Risk Factor for Crohn's Disease

  Are antibiotics the chicken or the egg? There seems to be a link between antibiotic use and developing CD, but whether the antibiotics may be one of the factors tilting the IBD wheel in our direction remains to be seen. Read More... Posted Monday, February 23, 2004 10:18 PM by bustagut | 0 Comments Filed under: Causes

• JFK and Colitis

  Another famous figure who is know to have had IBD is US president John F. Kenedy. He was diagnosed with colitis in 1934 at the age of 17. He also had many other health problems including severe back pain and Addison's Disease. In this PBS interview physician Jeffrey Kelman discusses the extensive health ailments President John F. Kennedy suffered during his lifetime. Read More... Posted Monday, February 16, 2004 11:14 PM by bustagut | 0 Comments Filed under: Celebrities

• Pearl Jam guitarist talks about having Crohn's

  A story last week about Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready having Crohn's spurred me to look for a little more information. Sure enough, I found a story about his helping the Northwest Chapter of the CCFA last year with a fund raiser. He was first diagnosed at 21. He spoke for the first time publicly last year about having Crohn's and Colitis. Read More... Posted Monday, February 16, 2004 11:12 PM by bustagut | 1 Comments Filed under: Celebrities

• Researchers team up to find genetic roots for IBD

  Researchers in Phoenix and Tucson are collaborating on a study to find the genetic roots of IBD. There has already been a connection made with one gene (NOD2) but that only accounts for about 10% of the cases of IBD so the researchers are trying to find the other genes involved. The study will look at families with two or more affected individuals, or families with a mother and father affected. If you fit the bill and are in Arizona, this sure does look like a worthwhile study. Read More... Posted Tuesday, February 10, 2004 11:10 PM by bustagut | 0 Comments Filed under: Causes, Experimental

• Pearl Jam's McCready helps CCFA in Seattle

  I had heard that Pearl Jam's lead guitarist Mike McCready had IBD but this is the first story I have come across about it. I think it's pretty cool that he's donating his name and his time to help the CCFA. Of course if you're in the Seattle area I encourage you to get your tickets early. Read More... Posted Tuesday, February 10, 2004 11:08 PM by bustagut | 0 Comments Filed under: Celebrities, Fund-Raising

• Probiotic VSL#3 Maintains Remission from Pouchitis

  I've heard many good things about the probiotic VSL#3. This is more good news for people having problems with pouchitis. In a new study in Gut VSL#3 appeared to do pretty good job helping to control pouchitis and generally improving the quality of life of UC patients with pouchitis. Warning: This is a press release so it may be biased and omit some of the negative bits. Read More... Posted Tuesday, February 10, 2004 11:06 PM by bustagut | 0 Comments Filed under: Experimental, Probiotics, Treatment

• New Book Focuses on Probiotics

  A new book entitled Bacteria for Breakfast: Probiotics for Good Health has been published that dives into the details of probiotics. It describes clinical trials in which these supplements have been used to prevent and treat Crohn's disease, colitis, diarrhea, vaginal infections, food allergies, eczema, and more. Probiotics are healthy bacteria that have been used to treat and prevent gastrointestinal diseases, as well as illnesses that affect the immune system. Read More... Posted Tuesday, February 10, 2004 11:04 PM by bustagut | 1 Comments Filed under: Educational, Probiotics

• Good bugs getting more notice

  Probiotics have been getting more and more good press lately. In this story researchers say friendly bacteria can improve intestinal functioning and may be a source of treatment for a range of diseases including IBD. I wish there was a little more regulation in the area, though. One of the researchers in the story claims that many of the probiotics on the market don't actually contain all the bacteria they claim to. Read More... Posted Tuesday, February 10, 2004 11:02 PM by bustagut | 0 Comments Filed under: Probiotics, Treatment

• Protein marker may signal colon cancer

  High blood levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), a protein linked to heart attacks, might also be an early warning sign of colon cancer, a study found. People with diseases involving chronic intestinal inflammation, including ulcerative colitis, are known to face an increased colon cancer risk, and studies have shown that aspirin and other anti-inflammatory drugs can reduce that risk. Read More... Posted Tuesday, February 10, 2004 11:00 PM by bustagut | 0 Comments Filed under: Experimental

• Bacterial DNA Reduces Inflammation in Mice

  Knowing how probiotics work could give scientists a way to identify and select which probiotic bacteria might be effective against such human ailments as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Probiotics have shown promise for treating such IBDs as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, both of which cause periodic intestinal inflammation. Read More... Posted Tuesday, February 10, 2004 10:33 PM by bustagut | 0 Comments Filed under: Probiotics

• Calcium Superchargers

  Dairy products, such as yogurt, can be supplemented with odd sugars called nondigestible oligosaccharides. Their large fiberlike molecules seem to enhance the body's absorption of bone-building calcium. This has just a brief mention that it might be beneficial to UCers or to those at risk of colon cancer for other [non-specified] reasons. It may be marketed differently in Europe (where they are more interested in intestinal health) versus US (where bone health/calcium is a better selling point). Both these benfits are a bonus for IBDers. Read More... Posted Tuesday, February 10, 2004 9:49 PM by bustagut | 0 Comments Filed under: Diet

• New intestinal disease charted by Swedish researcher

  A Swedish researcher has discovered a new form of inflammatory intestinal disease called Microscopic Colitis. It appears to be hard to spot but is, in fact, quite common. I have no idea how it relates to IBD but it does appear to have some differences (it shows signs of being an infectious disease, for instance). Read More... Posted Sunday, February 01, 2004 10:58 PM by bustagut | 0 Comments Filed under: Experimental

• Experts go bananas to find disease cure

  I always wonder what makes researcher head down the paths they do. Sometimes it seems like organized madness but if it leads to a more and better treatments for IBD I'm all for it. The latest thought is that plantain bananas contain an interesting protein that prevents bacteria gathering in the lining of the bowel. It's not even a product yet let alone being in clinical trials so it'll take a good long while before we see any results from this discovery. Read More... Posted Sunday, February 01, 2004 10:57 PM by bustagut | 0 Comments Filed under: Experimental

• Depression May Affect Bowel Disease Relapse

  I'd heard that there was a probable link between stress and IBD so I found this recent study interesting in that it found a significant link between depression and relapse in IBD. Read More... Posted Sunday, February 01, 2004 10:55 PM by bustagut | 0 Comments Filed under: Stress

• A Novel Treatment For Crohn's Disease

  Leukine continues to show promise as a new type of treatment for Crohn's. While most of the approved therapies try to suppress the immune system, Leukine actually revs it up. It's still too early (it's in phase 2 trials) to see where it'll lead but it does look promising. Read More... Posted Sunday, February 01, 2004 1:08 PM by bustagut | 0 Comments Filed under: Experimental