Scientists find out why sugar causes enteritis

American scientists have proven, through experiments carried out on laboratory mice, that foods rich in sugar cause disturbances in the intestinal flora.

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According to Science Translational Medicine, this explains why the Western diet increases the risk of developing enteritis, such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, which affects more than 3.5 million people worldwide.

Many scientists believe that the Western diet, which contains foods high in sugar and calories, is the main reason for the spread of enteritis in many countries. These foods are also known to increase the risk of obesity and diabetes, but the role of sugar in this area has been the subject of controversy so far.

Biologists at the University of Texas at Dallas’ Southwestern Medical Center, led by Shahnshah Khan, conducted lab experiments on mice and found that those who ate foods high in sugar became more susceptible to colitis after three days , compared to other mice.

S. Khan

Illustrative image

Researchers have shown that sugar alters the structure of the intestinal flora and supports the bacterium Akkermansia muciniphila, which breaks down proteoglycans, the main component of mucus produced by intestinal epithelial cells.

Interestingly, scientists previously believed that these bacteria had an anti-inflammatory effect and even planned to use them to fight obesity and type 2 diabetes. But the results of this study showed that its increase in the gut causes destruction of the protective mucous layer that lines the inner walls of the intestine, which allows other bacteria to enter this protective layer, causing ulcerative colitis.

The researchers point out that what confirms these results is the discovery of active enzymes that break down mucus in patients with ulcerative colitis.

Source: Novosti

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