The Nobel Prize-winning research on the bacteria H. pylori causing ulcers is widely accepted, even though it downplays the role of diet and stress, and the delicate balance of the microbiome, that is, ALL microorganisms in the gut. As a consequence, a significant number of patients struggle not only with those untreated factors, but also with reoccurrences of H. pylori overgrowth AND a higher risk of gastric cancer. This is but one of many instances where the most basic factors leading to diseases are set aside when reductionists research, while accurate, promises shortcuts to wellness. See articles below. Hugo Rodier, MD
Precision risk stratification of primary gastric cancer after eradication of H. pylori by a DNA methylation marker
Journal Gut January 2026 – Volume 75 – 1
“A DNA methylation marker can risk-stratify healthy people after H. pylori eradication even though all of them have clinically high risk. Individuals with super-high risk will need more frequent gastric cancer screening than currently recommended.”
Comment: methylation (adding a methyl group to proteins) is critical in DNA copying, liver detoxification, and neurotransmitters synthesis. These functions have a role in cancer formation/prevention. Stress may result in depletion of neurotransmitters like serotonin, which is mostly a gut neurotransmitter. Diet is the most important factor in the health of our microbiome, where B vitamins, the main supplier of methyl groups, are absorbed. Bottom line: an imbalanced microbiome is the main reason the overgrowth of H. pylori is indeed associated with ulcers. But again, it is not the only factor causing ulcers. Ignoring this point raises the risk of not only gastric cancer, but practically ALL diseases. See below.
Gastrointestinal microbiota and inflammasomes interplay in health and disease: a gut feeling
Journal Gut January 2026 – Volume 75 – 1
“The intricate interplay between the gut microbiota and the GI tract has garnered significant attention, as growing evidence has identified the inflammasome as a crucial yet underexplored master regulator in microbiota-driven diseases. Triggered by a variety of dangers, inflammasomes are supramolecular complexes that regulate immune response. A large number of bacterial-derived inducers have been characterized so far. Although structurally divergent, threats are neutralized by the inflammasome… An unbalanced microbiota composition, expressed by a dysbiotic phenotype, might therefore induce undesired inflammasome activation, altering the local host homeostasis. Recent studies on the ‘microbiota-inflammasome axis’ have uncovered unexpected roles for inflammasome signaling in various types of GI cancer and Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Additionally, beyond local gut functions, microbiota influences stress responses and neurological health through aberrant secretion of inflammasome-processed cytokines, linking gut-derived signals to systemic diseases via the vagus nerve and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Besides the standard experimental approaches, this complex network of interactions is now being addressed by Artificial intelligence, which emphasizes the profound impact of the gut microbiota on GI health, cancer progression and brain function, opening new avenues for therapeutic intervention in GI diseases, cancer and neurological disorders. Ultimately, microbiota-inflammasome interactions manage a regulatory framework that influences inflammation, cancer progression and systemic diseases, positioning it as both a mediator and a promising therapeutic target in GI malignancies and systemic diseases of the central nervous system.”
Comment: inflammation is the main response of a stressed, alarmed immune system, 2/3 of which resides in the gut.
Dietary whey protein protects against Crohn’s disease
Journal Gut January 2026 – Volume 75 – 1
“On dietary screening in humans, whey protein (WP) consumption was found to profoundly impact the gut phageome and bacteriome (more pronounced on the phageome) and was associated with a lower Crohn’s Disease (CD) risk. Indeed, the WP reshaped gut phageome can causally attenuate intestinal inflammation. Mechanistically, WP induced phage lysis of the mucin-foraging bacterium Akkermansia muciniphila, which unleashed the symbiotic bacterium Streptococcus thermophilus to counteract intestinal inflammation… Our study charted the importance of cross-kingdom interaction between gut phage and bacteria in mediating the dietary effect on CD protection… WP, and a probiotic S. thermophilus that can be used in CD management.”
Comment: whey protein, in addition to providing protein for muscle synthesis, can improve your microbiome health and thereby reduce inflammation, which drives not only CD, but ALL inflammatory diseases, including arthritis and metabolic problems.
The Gut Microbiome at the Onset of Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Systematic Review
J. Gastroenterology Published online December 23, 2025
“Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) comprises a group of heterogenous chronic immune-mediated inflammatory disorders of the gut. Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) are the most common subtypes. They often follow a relapsing-remitting course that can be significantly debilitating and require lifelong medical intervention, sometimes involving surgical resection. IBD incidence is rapidly increasing, particularly in developing counties and linked to “Westernization.” The global prevalence of IBD exceeds 0.3%, presenting an increasing health care burden. Hence the importance of ongoing research to understand pathogenetic mechanisms and develop novel therapies.
The underlying etiology of IBD is not fully understood, but theories focus on the interplay between multiple contributors, including disruption of the gut microbiota, barrier dysfunction, genetic predisposition, and environmental factors. Alterations in the gut microbiome have been widely reported in IBD, particularly reduced bacterial diversity. The importance of bacteria in IBD pathogenesis has long been postulated, with early studies looking for specific causative pathogens. The first study linking IBD with microbial community imbalance, using culture-based techniques, was published in 1968. Although culture bias previously limited our understanding of complex microbial communities, the advent of molecular (DNA-based) methodologies has led to a wealth of compelling evidence in this regard.
Microbiome perturbations in IBD are characterized by loss of microbial balance/harmony between commensal and pathogenic bacteria, resulting in a breakdown of homeostasis and dysregulated immune responses. This paradigm describes a reduction in bacterial richness/evenness (assessed using alpha diversity indices), increased pathogenic bacterial numbers, and reduced beneficial bacterial species.”
Comment: by now I hope you are thinking about optimizing your microbiome. It’s very simple: eat a lot of veggies, get off sugar, and be VERY conservative about xenobiotics (antibiotics and chemicals.)
Global prevalence and gastrointestinal symptom burden of individuals with a history of cholecystectomy
Journal Gut January 2026 – Volume 75 – 1
“Cholecystectomy is prevalent worldwide and varies across world regions. A history of this procedure is associated with a higher GI symptom burden, either due to new cholecystectomy-related symptomatic conditions, or persistent DGBI misattributed to biliary disease for which a cholecystectomy was erroneously performed.”
Comment: many patients are told their gastrointestinal problems are due to gall bladder issues ranging from “slush” to outright stones. While it is true that severe gall bladder disease is a surgical emergency, the vast majority of patients could be treated by improving their diets. Most of them are having gastrointestinal problems because of an unbalanced microbiome. Those who undergo gall bladder removal are sure to end up with a worse microbiome due to poor digestion and the constant dripping of bile from the liver. Bile, unneutralized by food, is a significant irritant to the lining of our intestines and to our microbiome.
A Roadmap for Advancing Women’s Health in Disorders of the Gut-Brain Interaction
United European Gastroenterology Journal, 26 December 2025
“Disorders of the Gut-Brain Interaction (DGBI) are highly prevalent conditions that all gastroenterologists encounter in clinical practice. Differences between men and women in the prevalence and symptom burden of DGBI have been well documented in numerous epidemiological and observational studies. Few have identified how DGBI are affected by hormonal changes in women through the lifespan or comorbid conditions and ultimately if and how treatment pathways should differ. This review aims to synthesize current evidence on women’s health in the context of DGBI and suggest future directions for clinical studies and trials. Improving women’s health in DGBI will require clinical trials that intentionally account for hormonal influences on symptoms and treatment outcomes, inclusion of sex-specific comorbidities, and collaborative, cross-disciplinary trial designs that address overlapping symptoms.”
Comment: this is why 2/3 of irritable bowel syndrome patients are women. This is a reminder that the Immune system works in concert with the Endocrine system.
