Digestive Health Archive

Research we're watching

There's a lot of buzz these days about how gut bacteria affect your health, but those might not be the only body microbes that matter. The population of bacteria in your mouth may also play a role in your risk of various diseases. And researchers recently found that alcohol consumption could influence your oral bacteria.

A study published online April 23 by Microbiome found that people who had one or more alcoholic drinks a day had more harmful bacteria in their mouths than nondrinkers. The researchers found types of bacteria that have been linked to gum disease, cancer, and heart disease.

In the journals

Having a low blood level of vitamin D may be linked to a higher risk of developing some cancers, suggests a study published online March 7, 2018, by The BMJ. However, taking extra vitamin D to raise already normal levels does not appear to offer more protection.

Vitamin D is made by the skin from sunlight exposure and can also be obtained through fortified foods like cereal and milk, as well as from supplements. Researchers analyzed data from the Japan Public Health Center–based Prospective Study, involving 33,736 people ages 40 to 69. The people gave blood samples and were classed into four groups, ranging from the lowest to highest levels of vitamin D. They were then monitored for an average of 16 years, during which time 3,301 new cases of cancer were recorded among the participants.

Ask the doctor

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Q. Home remedies aren't stopping my hiccups. Is there something my doctor can prescribe to help?

A. In the May 2018 issue, I answered a question about hiccups, saying they are common but typically short-lived, and that simple home remedies often can end them. However, I ran out of space to say something about treatments for the very unusual cases of hiccups that don't respond to simple treatments.

News briefs

Prepackaged, processed foods are typically high in fat, salt, and sugar. If that's not enough to make you put down a cookie or resist a frozen dinner, consider an observational study published online Feb. 14, 2018, by The BMJ. It analyzed dietary questionnaire answers of 105,000 middle-aged men and women in France for five years. Foods were grouped according to degree of processing — that is, the amount of change the ingredients go through as food makers improve flavor, coloring, and shelf life. For example, dehydrated soups, baked goods, sugary cereals, processed meats, biscuits, and sauces were considered ultra-processed foods. Less processed foods included canned vegetables, cheeses, and freshly made unpackaged bread. Every 10% increase in consumption of ultra-processed foods was associated with a 12% higher risk for cancer in general and an 11% increased risk for breast cancer. No significant link was found to prostate or colorectal cancer. The study doesn't prove that ultra-processed foods cause cancer, but researchers say the cumulative effects of food additives remain largely unknown.

Sometimes the emotional part of cancer is the toughest test.

Any kind of cancer diagnosis is life-changing. There suddenly are many decisions to make about treatments, possible surgery, and recovery. It can be a lot to deal with. But one part of the cancer process that often gets pushed aside is the psychological aspect — how do you manage the many emotions that come with it?

"The natural response to hearing 'cancer' is to feel a surge of anxiety and negative thoughts like 'I'm going to die,'" says Dr. John Peteet, head of the psychosocial oncology fellowship at the Harvard-affiliated Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. "Yet many men are reluctant to admit this and keep their feelings inside, so it's tough to know when they need help with this part of a cancer diagnosis."

Research we're watching

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If your food is more likely to come out of a bag or a box than from a tree or the ground, you may be putting yourself at higher risk for cancer. A study published online Feb. 14, 2018, by The BMJ found that people who eat more ultra-processed foods have a higher overall risk of cancer than those who don't. In fact, when the proportion of ultra-processed foods in a person's diet increased by 10%, the risk of cancers increased by more than 10%.

The researchers came to their conclusions after reviewing data from more than 100,000 people, on average 42 years old, based on their usual consumption of 3,300 different foods. The foods were classified according to their level of processing. Ultra-processed foods included things like