Australian Doctor Australian Doctor 2 June 2017 | Page 8

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Diets cut diversity of gut microbiota
Low-carb diets reduced
Lactobacillus diversity.
RACHEL WORSLEY
RESTRICTIVE diets and
bariatric surgery for weight
loss damage the gut micro-
biome and might increase
the risk of colon cancer,
researchers say.
A systematic review of
43 studies in overweight or
obese patients aged between
19 and 73 found diets focus-
sing on low carbs or high
protein led to a reduction
in gut microbiota diversity,
especially for the butyrate-
producing bacteria Firmi-
cutes, Lactobacillus sp and
Bifidobacterium sp.
Bariatric
procedures,
such as Roux-En-Y gas-
tric bypass, also led to a
decrease in those bacteria,
although the effect was less
pronounced for laparoscopic
sleeve gastrectomy, the Bra-
zilian researchers found.
They said changes to
the microbiome caused by
restrictive diets and bariat-
ric surgery might inflame
the intestines and increase
the risk of bowel cancer.
However, prebiotic prod-
ucts — such as kimchi,
whole grains and inulin-
type fructans — helped
to
improve
individual
gut microbiota composi-
tion, reduced body fat and
improved metabolic out-
comes.
The efficacy of these
products, however, was
dependent on individual gut
microbiota composition and
long-term fibre intake.
There were mixed results
for the impact of probiotics
on body fat, although they
did promote gut microbial
diversity.
“Microbiota-targeting
therapy, such as the use of
pre- or probiotics, has been
suggested to combat colo-
rectal
cancer-associated
dysbiosis,” the researchers
wrote.
Based on the existing
evidence, the jury was still
out on whether the percent-
age of weight loss could be
linked to specific changes in
the microbiome, they said.
“The available results in
humans suggest that any
intervention type for weight
loss impacts the gut micro-
biota.”
Obesity Reviews 2017; online.
In Brief
A
Staff writers
L ittle R ed
F AVOURITE
o f T HE
I RON D EFICIENT W OMAN
#
Misdiagnosis accounts
for 10% of deaths
MISDIAGNOSIS is behind
one in 10 deaths, a US
expert claims. But lack of
research means there’s no
way of knowing just how
often doctors get it wrong,
according to Dr Mark
Graber (pictured), president
of the Society to Improve
Diagnosis in Medicine.
“There are no healthcare
organisations anywhere
in the world analysing the
rate of diagnostic errors,
but autopsy studies show it
happens about 10% of the
time,” he says. The society
held its first Australian
conference in Melbourne
last week.
Tasmania again votes
‘no’ to assisted dying
FERRO-GRAD C
ORAL FIRST-LINE TREATMENT
FOR IRON DEFICIENCY 1
Ferro-Grad C is Australia’s No.1
GP-recommended iron supplement 2 –
the only one with added Vitamin C
to aid absorption. *1,3
Recommend daily for 3-6 months. 1,4
THE campaign to legislate
for euthanasia in Australia
took a step backwards last
week when the Tasmanian
Parliament voted down the
Voluntary Assisted Dying
Bill. The Bill was rejected by
16 votes to eight after failing
to win the support of the
state’s Liberal Government
and sections of the ALP.
It was the third time the
issue had come before the
parliament since 2009.
AMA backs
marriage equality
#
Based on IMS Sales Data, February 2017. Market research, October 2014, GP diagnosed iron deficient consumers. *Of the commercially available forms of iron
therapy suitable for the treatment of iron deficiency anaemia. Ferro-Grad C contains dried ferrous sulphate 325 mg (equivalent to 105 mg elemental iron) and
sodium ascorbate 562.4 mg (equivalent to 500 mg Vitamin C). For the prevention and treatment of iron deficiency.
References: 1. Iron Deficiency [revised March 2016]. In: eTG complete [Internet]. Melbourne: Therapeutic Guidelines Limited; March 2017. Accessed April
2017. 2. National Prescribing Service (NPS). Case study 66 report: Iron-deficiency anaemia. January 2011. 3. Brise H & Hallberg L. Acta Med Scand 1962;171
(Suppl 376):51–8. 4. Pasricha SS et al. Med J Aust 2010;193:525–32.
Mylan Health Pty Ltd trading as Mylan Health (ABN 29 601 608 771) of Level 1, 30 The Bond, 30-34 Hickson Road, Millers Point, NSW 2000, Australia.
Ph: 1800 314 527. Ferro-Grad C is a registered trademarks. FCG-2017-0010. April 2017 ABB3325_A4.
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| Australian Doctor | 2 June 2017
www.australiandoctor.com.au
THE AMA is coming out in
favour of marriage equality,
calling it a “public health
issue”. AMA president
Dr Michael Gannon said
excluding same-sex
couples from the institution
of marriage had made them
more prone to suicide and
high-risk behaviour.