Fiber boost could combat 'chemo brain' drain (Soluble fiber bacteria make propionate)

Medical Xpress / South Australian Health / Brain, Behavior, and Immunity ^ | Oct. 5, 2023 | Courtney Cross et al

[ConservativeMind]

Brain inflammation is a common side effect of ongoing chemotherapy and a catalyst for a range of debilitating physical and psychological symptoms for which there's no solution.

But now new research has shown that using a supplement to increase fiber intake while undergoing chemotherapy can significantly reduce brain inflammation and the associated health issues.

"Using pre-clinical models, we found that fiber supplementation directly causes positive changes in the gut microbiome and has the potential to alleviate brain inflammation following chemotherapy," Dr. Cross said.

"Our study showed fiber reduced inflammation in the brain region responsible for memory by as much as 50%.

"This is really exciting because fiber supplementation is such a simple intervention that can be implemented cheaply and easily."

Dietary fiber affects the microbiome by increasing the number of good microbes that produce anti-inflammatory metabolites called short-chain fatty acids. These short chain fatty acids can enter the bloodstream and decrease inflammation around the body, including the brain.

Brain inflammation has been linked to a litany of neuropsychological issues, including cognitive impairment, depression, anxiety and fear of cancer recurrence, making it a target for researchers trying to reduce the non-physical side effects of cancer treatment.

"We're all about improving the lives of people living with and beyond cancer any way we can, because in addition to receiving acute treatment, patients are also often on long term chemotherapy to prevent cancer recurrence and that significantly impacts their quality of life," Dr. Cross said.

"We're optimistic that increasing fiber intake could have the potential to provide relief by improving the burden associated with all neuropsychological symptoms with one intervention."

[ConservativeMind]

This is an easy thing to get from fiber supplements or these new Keto/low carb breads.

You should already have the gut bacteria to make the propionate.

By the way, this should be expected to help everyone with similar inflammatory issues, not just from chemo.

Men should get at least 38 grams of fiber (soluble/insoluble) a day, which I had not realized, until recently. That is an incredible amount, in my mind. I was getting less than half that.

Women should get around 28 grams.

[ConservativeMind]

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[Honest Nigerian]

I might sound like a broken record (the LP kind of record).
But Fasting for Survival is on Youtube. Goes into detail on Gut Health.
Dr Pradip Jamnadas presents much scientific research on WHY FIBER is good and WHY FASTING is helpful to CHEMO patients.
He has a remarkable way of presenting the data.

[ConservativeMind]

I will look into that.

Thank you.