the intestinal flora, its bacteria and possible link to a variety of diseases and conditions in human beings is a relatively young, but hajpat field of research. On the basis of new technologies, it is easier to identify the intestinal flora, which made the number of studies increased exponentially in recent years.
It has also released several popular science books in Sweden if tarmfloraforskning the last few years. A book on the subject is ”Kimchi and kombucha – The new science of how the intestinal bacteria strengthen your brain”. It was released in the fall of Bonnier Facts and is written by the She Continues.
The book describes how the intestinal bacteria can affect the brain and mental health, and how the lactic acid bacteria, which are, among others, in kimchi (fermented cabbage) and kombucha (fermented drink) can reduce stress, anxiety and depression. She Concludes have appeared in television, radio and pods during the autumn, including ”Ask the doctor”.
Christian Dahlström has reviewed the book in two sections of his pod ”Insane”. In the review addressed both Swedish and foreign experts with strong criticism against the claims in the book, against the author and against the publisher. They argue that She’s exaggerating the state of knowledge and misinterpreting the studies. The link between the intestinal bacteria and mental illnesses and condition is a hot, but new field of research. There are studies that suggest a correlation, but it is yet unclear how the link looks.
In the book it says, inter alia, that prebiotic fibers have an antidepressant effect and, therefore, can the one who is feeling depressed, eat a little galaktooligosackarider, a type of dietary fiber. This claim turns Göran Engberg, professor of pharmacology at the Karolinska institute, is strongly opposed.
”In all essential respects, there is a lack of convincing controlled studies showing that these substances can affect psychiatric comorbidities. I think definitely not, the author should provide patients with advice on how they should treat their psychiatric conditions, such as depression. She can cause great harm and misfortune,” he says in the pod.
the Author She Continues says to DN that she welcomes the review of the book. Photo: Stefan Tell/Bonnier Fakta, illustration: Bonnier Fakta
Christian Rück is also interviewed in the pod. He believes that She Continues generalizes the cause of mental illnesses and how they can be treated. He believes that there can be serious consequences if someone who is severely depressed will either be dissuaded from seeking treatment or discontinue a drug therapy to självbehandla with, for example, kimchi.
– It is of course free to seek information they want. However, the downside is if you get an incorrect picture of what the disease depends on and what you should do about it, you run the risk of doing the wrong things. She writes a lot about the right serious conditions. Then it is problematic and potentially dangerous to not get the best treatment, ” he says to DN.
The book is also a study of severely ill patients with alzheimer’s disease, which shows that the patients who received the lactic acid bacteria were better in their symptoms. Lars Lannfelt, professor of geriatrics and one of the leading alzheimerforskare, think it is ”frivolous” to refer to a small and short-term study.
There are many studies on a few patients demonstrated efficacy, but that are then not kept when they were tested on many more patients or for longer periods of time. Alzheimer’s research is full of very many failures. Lars Lannfelt said in the pod that he thinks that the author seems to ”push a thesis, rather than trying to find out what is true.”
in clinical bacteriology at the Sahlgrenska academy in Gothenburg, sweden, is particularly critical of the claim that pregnant women can trigger autism in their children through stress, diabetes, or obesity, something that is not understood.
”It is terrible to say such a thing,” she says in the pod, and says that such claims can give parents increased anxiety if they believe that they caused their children’s condition.
Read more: Karin Bojs: do not Go on talking about your intestinal flora!
Bonnier Fakta says it has received a lot of positive feedback on the book from readers, but also for doctors and researchers. The publisher has not been part of a list of factual errors and says to himself not, therefore, be able to respond to the criticism. However, the publisher that it is clear in the book what type of study it is about, how strong the relationship is and when the science points the other way. You also think that it is clear to the reader when the author speculates.
not to respond to the criticism in the pod, but says to DN that she welcomes the scrutiny and is open to correct or clarify if there have been errors in the book.
” I have done my best to assure the quality of the book, I feel safe with my five faktagranskare. This is also a popular science book and not a scientific publication. I have summarized the research, but it has been very clear that it is about the early research, prevention, and healthy people. I do not say to someone who is ill to stop their medicines. The advice to eat more herbal are harmless and in line with other research.
– We should not underestimate people’s ability to interpret new scientific studies. This is an extremely exciting area of research and it would be a shame if the knowledge would not reach out to people, ” she says to DN.
Read more: Sharp hajp, and many exaggerated claims about the intestinal flora
the DN Debate: ”Serious errors in many books with advice on health and nutrition”
