16 july 2024 Punjab Khabarnama : Your gut is teeming with tiny single-celled parasites called Blastocystis. Gross, right? But a new study shows these gut parasites can be linked to a healthy diet. A study in the journal Cell has found that the presence of Blastocystis in the human gut could be linked with better health outcomes in a sample population from 32 different countries.
“We found that the presence of Blastocystis in the human gut is linked with a better cardiometabolic profile and lower obesity rates,” said the study’s co-lead Francesco Asnicar of the University of Trento, Italy.
“We found that the presence of Blastocystis in the human gut is linked with a better cardiometabolic profile and lower obesity rates,” said the study’s co-lead Francesco Asnicar of the University of Trento, Italy.
“So far, [the] research has focused on the bacterial [microbiome] , but the role of other microorganisms, including Blastocystis, is largely understudied,” said the study’s other co-lead Elisa Piperni of the University of Trento, Italy.
Blastocystis is a somewhat controversial group of microorganism because scientists have been unable to agree on whether the parasite are harmful or not.
“Up to now, there was no evidence of any direct role for Blastocystis in promoting health. To be on the safe side, all Blastocystis were categorized as a harmful intestinal parasite,” said Sara Vieira-Silva, a microbiologist at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz in Germany.
Vieira-Silva, who was not part of the University of Trento study, said the new findings helped clear up the debate: It provided “additional support that some Blastocystis subtypes are part of a balanced gut microbiome in healthy individuals.”
A Blastocystis infection is called blastocystosis. It can cause diarrhea, abdominal pain, anal itching and gas, among other symptoms.
Part one of the study: Blastocystis and general health
The researchers analyzed data from nearly 57,000 individuals across 32 countries.
They looked at how Blastocystis levels in the gut related to diet, cardiovascular health, and metabolic factors, such as obesity and diabetes.
Higher gut Blastocystis levels were linked to indicators of better cardiometabolic health — that means lower chances of heart attacks, obesity, and diabetes — whereas lower Blastocystis levels were associated with long-term health issues, including obesity.
The study also found considerable differences in the subtypes of Blastocystis, depending on a person’s age, geography [where they live] and lifestyle.
Newborns, for example, do not have Blastocystis. The microorganisms establish themselves when we get older and start eating complex foods.