Breast Milk Hormones Help Babies Digest Food Better
Scientists discovered that two special hormones found in breast milk—prolactin and oxytocin—help babies' intestines work properly and absorb nutrients. …
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All content tagged with "nutrient absorption"
Special Bacteria Help Tomato Plants Grow Better in Hard Soil
Scientists discovered that two types of helpful bacteria can make tomato plants grow stronger when planted in alkaline soil—the kind that's too hard and …
Read MoreNew Way to Protect Collagen in Food and Supplements
Scientists created a new way to package collagen—a protein that's good for your skin, joints, and bones—so it doesn't break down in your stomach. They wrapped …
Read MoreHow Your Body Changes to Feed a Growing Baby
During pregnancy, a woman's body goes through amazing changes to support a growing baby. Her heart, lungs, and kidneys all work harder to deliver nutrients to …
Read MoreWhy Your Stomach Acid Matters More Than You Think
Scientists studied a special type of fish to understand how stomach acid helps our bodies digest food and use energy. They found that without stomach acid, the …
Read MoreWhy Your Body Absorbs Nutrients Differently From Plants vs. Meat
Scientists are pointing out an important gap in how we plan global food supplies: they're not accounting for the fact that your body absorbs nutrients …
Read MoreSpecial Protein Boost During Pregnancy May Help Babies Grow Better
Researchers created a special supplement made from yeast that contains tiny protein pieces called peptides. When pregnant animals took this supplement during …
Read MoreHow Your Gut Cells Balance Fighting Germs and Absorbing Food
Scientists discovered that a special channel in your intestinal cells acts like a traffic controller, deciding whether your gut should focus on absorbing …
Read MoreNew Technology Helps Scientists Understand How Your Gut Absorbs Food
Scientists have created a new laboratory tool that better mimics how your real gut works when absorbing nutrients from food. Instead of using old-fashioned …
Read MoreHow a Gut Protein Helps Control Digestion and Fat Processing
Scientists discovered that a special protein called GFRα3 plays an important role in your intestines. This protein helps create and maintain certain cells that …
Read MoreWhat Mothers Eat Before Birth Affects Calf Health and Growth
Researchers studied how special diets fed to pregnant Jersey cows affected the health and growth of their newborn calves. They tested two different diet types …
Read MoreNew Nanoparticles Could Help Animals Absorb More Nutrients from Grain
Grains like wheat and rice contain a compound called phytic acid that blocks animals from absorbing important minerals like iron, calcium, and zinc. Scientists …
Read MoreHow Fish Cells Use Electrical Signals to Absorb Nutrients
Scientists studying zebrafish discovered a special protein that helps cells absorb nutrients from food. This protein, called VSP, works like an electrical …
Read MoreBetter Yogurt: Scientists Add Vitamins D and B12 That Actually Work
Researchers created a new type of yogurt packed with vitamins D3 and B12 using tiny fat-based capsules called liposomes. These capsules protect the vitamins so …
Read MoreScientists Create Selenium-Boosted Yeast for Better Health
Researchers discovered a new way to create yeast that's packed with selenium, a nutrient your body needs to stay healthy. The problem is that selenium from …
Read MoreWhy People With Alcohol Problems Need Better Nutrition Help
Researchers looked at 41 studies about how people with alcohol use disorder eat and what nutrients they get. They found something surprising: even though …
Read MoreHow Chicken Intestines Grow and Change in First 4 Weeks
Researchers studied how the intestines of Cobb 500 broiler chickens develop during their first month of life. They measured different parts of the intestines …
Read MoreHow Your Stomach Processes Protein and Why It Matters
Scientists have reviewed decades of research on how your stomach breaks down and moves protein through your digestive system. This process, called gastric …
Read MoreSpecial Enzymes Help Chickens Grow Better on Lower-Quality Feed
Researchers tested whether adding special enzymes to chicken feed could help birds grow well even when the feed had fewer nutrients. They studied 800 young …
Read MoreHow Rice Plants Use Oxygen to Build Protective Iron Shields
Rice plants grow a special iron-rich coating on their roots that acts like a protective shield, helping them absorb nutrients and block harmful metals from the …
Read MoreNew Gel Drinks Could Change How Athletes Fuel Up
Scientists are exploring a new way to deliver nutrients to athletes using food-grade gel systems—basically special gel-like drinks that could help sports …
Read MoreSpecial Gut Bacteria Help Your Body Use Plant Nutrients Better
Scientists discovered that a specific type of gut bacteria called Enterococcus sp. rutin_18 can transform a plant compound called rutin into a more useful form …
Read MoreHow Underground Fungi and Bacteria Team Up to Help Pine Trees Grow
Scientists discovered an amazing partnership happening underground between fungi and bacteria that helps pine trees thrive. The fungi recruit special bacteria …
Read MoreHow Tea Can Help Your Body Use Healthy Nutrients Better
Scientists are finding clever ways to protect healthy compounds found in tea so your body can actually use them. The problem is that many beneficial nutrients …
Read MoreHow Gut Nerve Signals Control Special Intestinal Cells
Scientists studied how two types of nerve receptors in the intestines affect the special cells that line our gut. Using mice with these receptors removed only …
Read MoreWhy Gastric Bypass Patients Often Develop Low Blood Iron Levels
Researchers looked at 74 studies involving over 12,000 people who had gastric bypass surgery to understand how common anemia (low red blood cells) becomes …
Read MoreShould You Take Calcium and Vitamin D Pills for Your Heart?
Researchers looked at whether taking calcium and vitamin D supplements is good or bad for heart health. This is important because millions of people take these …
Read MoreHow Your Small Intestine Keeps Your Body Healthy
Your small intestine is like a busy control center that does much more than just digest food. Scientists have discovered that different parts of your small …
Read MoreThe Right Rootstock Helps Citrus Trees Get More Zinc
Scientists discovered that the type of rootstock used in citrus tree grafting significantly affects how well the tree absorbs zinc, an important nutrient. When …
Read MoreSpecial Yeast from Thai Food Could Help Your Body Absorb More Nutrients
Researchers found a special type of yeast in traditional Thai fermented foods that might help your body absorb nutrients better. This yeast, called Pichia …
Read MoreNew Gel Capsules Can Hold Both Water and Oil-Based Nutrients
Scientists created a special gel mixture using beeswax, gelatin, and chitosan that can safely store and deliver two different types of nutrients at the same …
Read MoreMini Organs Help Scientists Understand How Food Affects Your Body
Scientists are using a new tool called organoids—tiny, lab-grown versions of human organs—to better understand how the food we eat affects our health. Unlike …
Read MoreWhy a Rare Genetic Disorder Stops Kids From Growing Normally
Scientists discovered why children with Mowat-Wilson syndrome (a rare genetic condition) struggle to grow properly. Using mice with the same genetic problem, …
Read MoreVitamin D Boosts Muscle Strength in People With Severe Digestion Problems
Researchers tested whether vitamin D supplements could help people with chronic intestinal failure—a serious condition where the digestive system can't absorb …
Read MoreRare Eye Disease From Low Vitamin A Still Happens in America
Doctors in the United States found four patients who lost vision because they didn't have enough vitamin A in their bodies. This is surprising because vitamin …
Read MoreWhy Anemia Is More Complex Than Just Low Iron
About 1 in 4 people worldwide struggle with anemia, a condition where your blood doesn't carry enough oxygen. While most people think anemia is just about …
Read MoreNew Growing Method Makes Lettuce Healthier and Safer to Eat
Scientists tested a new way to grow lettuce using special water with tiny bubbles and a charcoal-like material called biochar. They grew lettuce seedlings in …
Read MoreNew Way to Take Vitamin D Works Better for Gut Disease Patients
People with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) often struggle to absorb vitamin D from regular supplements because their digestive systems don't work normally. …
Read MoreHow an Invasive Sea Creature Digests Food So Efficiently
Scientists discovered a special fold inside the digestive system of an invasive sea creature called Styela clava. This fold, called a typhlosole, acts like a …
Read MoreWhy Wild Boars Have Stronger Guts Than Farm Pigs
Scientists studied the intestines of wild boars and farm pigs at the tiniest level—looking at individual cells—to understand how their digestive systems work …
Read MoreHow Plants Survive on the Tibetan Plateau with Special Roots
Scientists studied how plants grow roots differently on the Tibetan Plateau, one of Earth's harshest environments. They discovered that plants there use a …
Read MoreHow Your Gut Evolved and What Scientists Are Learning About It
Scientists are using new technology to understand how human stomachs and intestines changed over thousands of years. Our guts evolved to handle different foods …
Read MoreWhat Mom Eats Affects How Calf Guts Absorb Food
Scientists studied how a pregnant cow's diet affects her calf's ability to absorb nutrients after birth. They looked at whether special vitamins related to …
Read MoreHow a Common Cat Parasite Changes Gut Bacteria and Body Chemistry
Scientists discovered that a parasite called Toxoplasma gondii, which infects cats, causes major changes to the bacteria living in a cat's gut and how their …
Read MoreTiny Plastics in Water May Mess With Fish's Appetite and Digestion
Scientists discovered that tiny plastic particles floating in freshwater are affecting how fish eat and digest food. When pond loach fish were exposed to …
Read MoreWhy Adding Vitamins to Flour Doesn't Always Work
Many people today don't eat enough variety in their food, which means they're missing important vitamins and minerals their bodies need. Adding nutrients to …
Read MoreHow Your Small Intestine Absorbs Nutrients and Fights Germs
Scientists created a detailed map of all the different cells in the small intestine (specifically the ileum) to understand how they work together. Using …
Read MoreTiny Iron Particles Help Fish Grow Stronger and Healthier
Scientists tested whether super-tiny iron particles added to fish food could help a type of carp called Puntius sarana grow better and become healthier. They …
Read MorePurple Lettuce Gets Healthier With Compost From Food Waste
Researchers in Peru discovered that feeding purple lettuce with compost made from vegetable waste makes the lettuce healthier and more nutritious. They tested …
Read MoreNew Way to Take CoQ10 Helps Your Body Use It Better
Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a natural substance that helps your cells make energy and stay healthy. The problem is that your body doesn't absorb it very well when …
Read MoreDoes Vitamin B12 Really Help Your Bones? New Study Has Surprising Answers
Researchers looked at data from over 64,000 people to understand how vitamin B12 in our diet affects bone strength. They found something unexpected: more B12 …
Read MoreNew Folate Form Absorbed Better Than Traditional Folic Acid
Researchers compared two different types of folate supplements to see which one your body absorbs better. Folate is a B vitamin that's important for health. …
Read MoreHow HIV Drugs and Alcohol Together Damage Your Gut
Researchers studied how HIV medications and alcohol affect the small intestine in rats. They found that when taken together, these two substances cause more …
Read MoreWhy Diabetes Medicine Metformin Can Lower Your B12 and Folate
Metformin is a popular medicine that helps millions of people manage type 2 diabetes, but scientists have discovered it can cause vitamin B12 and folate …
Read MoreMom's Zinc Helps Baby Chickens Develop Better Guts
Scientists studied whether giving mother chickens extra zinc in their food would help their baby chicks grow better and healthier. They fed 128 mother chickens …
Read MoreHow Gut Bacteria Grab Vitamin B12 Using Tiny Delivery Packages
Scientists discovered that a common gut bacteria called Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron uses a clever system to capture vitamin B12, which it needs to survive. …
Read MoreSpecial Bacteria Help Plants Grow Better and Make Healthy Compounds
Scientists discovered that a type of helpful bacteria called Bacillus velezensis can boost the growth of a medicinal plant called Anoectochilus roxburghii. The …
Read MoreCommon Reflux Medicine May Interfere With Energy-Boosting Nutrient
Researchers discovered that famotidine, a medication commonly used to treat acid reflux in tube-fed patients with severe disabilities, may interfere with how …
Read MoreWhy Older Cats May Have Trouble Digesting Food
Researchers studied how cats' intestines change as they get older. They tested 36 healthy cats—some young and some senior—by giving them a special drink with …
Read MoreA Plant Compound May Help Your Gut Absorb Nutrients Better
Researchers tested 99 traditional plant medicines to see which ones help the intestines absorb glutamine, an amino acid important for gut health. They …
Read MorePlant Foods Have Hidden Powers That Fight Aging
Scientists have discovered something surprising: certain compounds in plants that were once thought to be bad for you might actually help you stay younger …
Read MoreHow Your Body Slows Digestion: A New Discovery About Gut Control
Scientists discovered a new way your body controls how fast food moves through your intestines. A hormone called secretin works by talking directly to special …
Read MoreHow Your Stomach Mixes Food: A Computer Model Reveals the Secrets
Scientists created a detailed computer model of how your stomach works to understand how food gets mixed and broken down by stomach acid. They discovered that …
Read MoreNew Capsules Could Deliver Vitamins Better Through Your Digestive System
Scientists created tiny capsules made from gelatin and tea compounds that can safely carry folic acid (a B vitamin) through cooking and digestion. The capsules …
Read MoreHow to Help HIV+ Kids Absorb Iron Better With a Simple Addition
Children with HIV who take medicine to control the virus often struggle to get enough iron from food, which can make them tired and weak. Scientists in South …
Read MoreTiny Capsules Could Make Healthy Food Nutrients Work Better
Scientists are studying a new way to deliver healthy nutrients from food to your body more effectively. They're using super-tiny containers called …
Read MoreEven Healthy Obese Kids May Need B12 Checks
Researchers studied 296 obese children and 138 healthy children to see if being metabolically healthy (having good blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure …
Read MoreHow Copper Deficiency Can Damage Your Eyes and Vision
Researchers reviewed medical cases showing that not getting enough copper in your diet can seriously hurt your eyesight. In one dramatic example, a middle-aged …
Read MoreNew Discovery: How a Body Protein Helps Viruses Enter Cells
Scientists discovered that a protein in your body called TREX1 plays an unexpected role in how certain viruses infect intestinal cells. Rather than working …
Read MoreHow Your Genes Might Affect Magnesium and Gut Health
Researchers investigated whether a person's genetic makeup influences how magnesium supplements affect the bacteria living in their gut. The study looked at …
Read MoreNew Way to Measure How Your Body Absorbs Sugar
Scientists developed a new laboratory method to better understand how sugar gets absorbed in your intestines. Using a special rat intestine model that keeps …
Read MoreHow Trees Survive Dry Climates Using Underground Fungal Friends
Scientists studied how Manchurian ash trees adapt their roots and partner with helpful fungi to survive in dry versus wet environments in Northeast China. They …
Read MoreWhy Some Kids Benefit More From Vitamin D: A Gut Bacteria Discovery
Researchers studied over 2,300 children to understand why vitamin D supplements work better for some kids than others. They found that children often don't get …
Read MoreHow Lycopene Works Better With Other Foods
Lycopene is a natural red pigment found in tomatoes and other fruits that helps protect your body from damage. Scientists have discovered that lycopene works …
Read MoreHow Cold Weather Changes Your Gut and Hunger
When mice are exposed to cold temperatures, their bodies need more energy and they eat more food. Scientists discovered that their intestines actually grow …
Read MoreNew Nano-Capsules Could Better Deliver Vitamin B12 to Your Body
Scientists created tiny capsules made from natural food ingredients that can carry vitamin B12 through your digestive system more effectively. These …
Read MoreLab Cells That Make Mucus Could Help Us Understand Digestion
Scientists discovered that a special type of lab cell called IPEC-J2 can produce mucus when grown in the right conditions. Mucus in your small intestine is …
Read MoreDoes Body Fat Affect Your Vitamin D Levels?
A recent letter to a scientific journal explores an interesting question: does having more body fat make it harder for your body to get enough vitamin D? …
Read MoreB Vitamins and Your Gut Bacteria: What You Need to Know
Your gut is home to trillions of tiny bacteria that help keep you healthy. New research shows that B vitamins—nutrients found in foods like eggs, chicken, and …
Read MoreHow Sheep Digest Grass Better With the Right Feed Mix
Scientists studied 72 lambs to understand how their stomachs break down grass and how different feeding strategies affect this process. They discovered that …
Read MoreTwo Gut Hormones Help Your Body Absorb Food Better
After you eat a meal, your body releases special hormones that help send more blood to your digestive system so it can absorb nutrients better. Scientists …
Read MoreTiny Messengers in Cow Stomachs May Hold Keys to Better Health
Scientists are discovering that microscopic bubble-like particles called extracellular vesicles (EVs) play an important role in how a cow's body communicates …
Read MoreEating Right When Your Small Intestine Is Shorter Than Normal
Short bowel syndrome happens when someone's small intestine is much shorter than usual, making it harder for their body to absorb nutrients and water from …
Read MoreDigestive Enzymes Help Pigs Absorb More Nutrients From Their Food
Scientists studied how adding digestive enzymes to pig feed affects how well pigs can break down and absorb nutrients from their food. They fed 24 young pigs …
Read MoreNew Way to Help Your Body Absorb Fat-Soluble Vitamins Better
Scientists have discovered a promising new approach to help our bodies better absorb important fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E, and K. The research focuses …
Read MoreNew Drug Helps Heal Damaged Intestines by Changing Gut Bacteria
Scientists studied five men with short bowel syndrome, a condition where part of the intestine is missing or damaged, making it hard to absorb nutrients from …
Read MorePregnant Mice Grow Longer Intestines to Absorb More Food for Their Babies
Scientists studied how pregnant mice's intestines change to help feed their growing babies. They found that pregnant mice develop intestines that are 20% …
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