How a common food ingredient can take a wrong turn, leading to arthritis (Fiber & Med. diet help counter tryptophan indole inflammation)

Medical Xpress / CU Anschutz Medical Campus / Journal of Clinical Investigation ^ | March 8, 2024 | Mark Harden / Brenda J. Seymour et al

[ConservativeMind]

A faculty member and her colleagues have identified the means in which bacteria in the digestive system can break down tryptophan in the diet into an inflammatory chemical that primes the immune system towards arthritis.

She says the research "builds upon some observations we had in patients with spondyloarthritis where changes in the microbiome were associated with increased production of indoles, which are what bacteria make from tryptophan." Similar changes were observed in arthritis studies involving mice, she says.

"We found that when indole is present, the mice start to develop autoreactive T-cells that are more inflammatory. They have less of those regulatory T-cells that help maintain balance in the immune system, and they start to develop antibodies that are more pathogenic. We found that the antibodies had flags for being more inflammatory when indole was present."

The paper concludes that "blockade of indole generation may present a unique therapeutic pathway" for rheumatoid arthritis and spondyloarthritis. That's all about finding the right path for the body's tryptophan, Kuhn says.

"If tryptophan hits our body's cells, it tends to go get broken down into anti-inflammatory products versus when it hits the bacterial cells and goes more inflammatory. The ways we think about how this could lead to therapies are: How do you keep that balance tipped so that tryptophan goes towards that anti-inflammatory pathway? How can you manipulate intestinal bacteria to tip that balance?"

Does Kuhn's research suggest we should be eating differently? "I get asked that a lot," she says. "A diet that's rich in plant-based fibers and lean meats—this whole Mediterranean diet—seems to push the microbiome into a healthier state, so that you are getting the anti-inflammatory properties of tryptophan, whereas the typical western diet seems to go more toward the inflammatory pathway."

[ConservativeMind]

Fiber and possibly the Mediterranean diet can mitigate what gut bacteria might push toward inflammation, concerning autoreactive T-cells and regulatory T-cells.

Another possible option from a prior study may also help, concerning baking soda, making a similar change toward more regulatory T-cells over inflammatory T-cells. I’ll post that link, next.

[ConservativeMind]

An oldie, but a goodie:

Drinking baking soda could be an inexpensive, safe way to combat autoimmune disease

https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3792811/posts

[ConservativeMind]

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[Faith65]

Thanks.
BKMK

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

Thank you! I might be starting to have a problem with arthritis. Will need to try this!

[Mariner]

https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/special-topic/tryptophan

Tryptophan is an essential amino acid.

You cannot live without it.

[TribalPrincess2U]

searched * = my craving these days. I haven’t noticed any RA at all. Hmm

Cheese*
Chicken*
Egg whites * 3 at a time.
Fish
Milk
Sunflower seeds
Peanuts
Pumpkin seeds
Sesame seeds
Soy beans
Turkey*

[sauropod]

Bkmk