The Food Forum convened a public workshop on February 22-23, 2012, to explore current and emerging knowledge of the human microbiome, its role in human health, its interaction with the diet, and the translation of new research findings into tools and products that improve the nutritional quality of the food supply. The Human Microbiome, Diet, and Health: Workshop Summary summarizes the presentations and discussions that took place during the workshop. Over the two day workshop, several themes covered included: The microbiome is integral to human physiology, health, and disease. The microbiome is arguably the most intimate connection that humans have with their external environment, mostly through diet. Given the emerging nature of research on the microbiome, some important methodology issues might still have to be resolved with respect to undersampling and a lack of causal and mechanistic studies. Dietary interventions intended to have an impact on host biology via their impact on the microbiome are being developed, and the market for these products is seeing tremendous success. However, the current regulatory framework poses challenges to industry interest and investment.

“In Missing Microbes, Martin Blaser sounds [an] alarm. He patiently and thoroughly builds a compelling case that the threat of antibiotic overuse goes far beyond resistant infections.”—Nature Renowned microbiologist Dr. Martin J. Blaser invites us into the wilds of the human microbiome, where for hundreds of thousands of years bacterial and human cells have existed in a peaceful symbiosis that is responsible for the equilibrium and health of our bodies. Now this invisible Eden is under assault from our overreliance on medical advances including antibiotics and caesarian sections, threatening the extinction of our irreplaceable microbes and leading to severe health consequences. Taking us into the lab to recount his groundbreaking studies, Blaser not only provides elegant support for his theory, he guides us to what we can do to avoid even more catastrophic health problems in the future. “Missing Microbes is science writing at its very best—crisply argued and beautifully written, with stunning insights about the human microbiome and workable solutions to an urgent global crisis.”—David M. Oshinsky, author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Polio: An American Story

This newly revised edition contains updated versions of all of the topics that were in the first edition and has been substantially expanded with an additional 5 chapters. Each chapter includes information from the most up-to-date research on how nutritional factors can affect bone health, written with an evidence-based focus and complete with comprehensive references for each subject. Nutrition and Bone Health, second edition covers all aspects of nutrition and the skeleton, from the history and fundamentals, to the effects of macronutrients, minerals, vitamins, and supplements, and even covers the effects of lifestyle, the different life stages, and nutrition-related disorders and secondary osteoporosis. New chapters include HIV & AIDs and the skeleton, celiac disease and bone health, and nutrition and bone health in space. Nutrition and Bone Health, second edition is a necessary resource for health care professionals, medical students, graduate students, dietitians, and nutritionists who are interested in how nutrition affects bone health during all stages of life.

Composed of nearly a thousand different types of microorganisms - some beneficial, others not - the human gut microbiota plays an important role in health and disease. This is due to the presence of probiotic or beneficial microbes, or due to the feeding of prebiotics that stimulate the endogenous beneficial microbes (these promote health by stimulating the immune system, improving the digestion and absorption of nutrients, and inhibiting the growth of pathogens). The notable health benefits of probiotic organisms have prompted much commercial interest, which in turn has led to a plethora of research initiatives in this area. These range from studies to elucidate the efficacy of the various health benefits to analyses of the diet-microbe interaction as a means of modulating the gut microbiota composition. Research in this area is at a very exciting stage. With state-of-the-art commentaries on all aspects of probiotics and prebiotics research, this book provides an authoritative and timely overview of the field. Written by leading international researchers, each chapter affords critical insight to a particular topic, reviews current research, discusses future direction, and stimulates discussion. Topics range from the different microorganisms used as probiotics (lactobacilli, bifidobacteria, yeast, etc.), and the techniques and approaches used (metagenomics, etc.), to the reviews of the clinical and medical aspects. The provision of extensive reference sections positively encourages readers to pursue each subject in greater detail. *** Librarians: ebook available on ProQuest and EBSCO [Subject: Microbiology, Life Science]

Gut Microbiota: Interactive Effects on Nutrition and Health focuses on the fascinating intestinal microbiome as it relates to nutrition. The book covers the core science in the microbiome field and draws links between the microbiome and nutrition in medicine. Reflecting the most current state of evidence available in the field, the early chapters introduce key concepts about the microbiome, and the latter focus on the application of the gut microbiome and nutrition science. Both human studies and animal studies (where appropriate) are discussed throughout the work. Addressing topics such as gut microbiota throughout the lifespan, gut microbiota in health and disease, and genetic and environmental influences on gut microbiota, this book will provide scientists and clinicians who have an interest in the microbiome with an understanding of the future potential and limitations of this tool as they strive to make use of evidence-based diet information for the maintenance of good health. - Explores how diet influences gut microbiota - Consolidates new research on how gut microbiota affects nutrition - Identifies how the research applies to food science - Provides practical diet suggestions for improving health