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Current ResearchChicken Soup for Your Health? Do you have a favorite "comfort food" that makes you feel better after a tough day? Does chicken soup seem to heal you when you are sick? Many of us would answer "yes," but probably not know why. MMRF researcher Mark Lyte, Ph.D., wants to know if there is a scientific basis behind the answers to those questions. He is studying whether what we eat influences our behavior and ability to fight disease. Dr. Lyte wants to know if hormones found in food impact our health through direct interaction with bacteria contained in our gastrointestinal (GI) tracts. What is in Food? We all know that food contains things such as protein, vitamins and nutrients. What if it also contains things that we do not normally associate with food such as hormones? Many of the hormones found in human beings are also found in plants and processed foods. Gut-to-Brain-Access Our gut (the bowel or intestine) has its own nervous system that has as many nerve connections as the brain and spinal cord put together. This nervous system secretes chemicals that help it communicate with the rest of our bodies. When we eat foods full of hormones, there are millions upon millions of nerves in our gut that respond to these hormones and potentially affect the way we feel. Our guts also contain bacteria. The question that Dr. Lyte asks is "if the bacteria sense hormones in our food and in our gut, is there a specific mix that will influence our behavior and keep us from getting sick?" For example, have you ever eaten something and then felt anxious? Dr. Lyte contends that the nervous system in your stomach may be reacting to something in the food. The gut then signals the nervous system in the brain so you feel anxious. "It is what is known as gut-to-brain access where the brain reacts to the gut rather than the other way around," said Dr. Lyte. "If the nerves in the gut connect to the brain and affect how we feel and act, then it actually makes sense to say that we are what we eat." Food May Affect How We Feel Dr. Lyte conducted a study, published in the journal Physiology and Behavior, which demonstrates this point. In the study, a common pathogen (a microorganism capable of producing disease), found in many food sources, was fed to animals. It caused a small infection where the animal did not feel or appear sick. Dr. Lyte found that the small infection interacted with the nervous system of the animals, affecting their behavior and making them feel anxious. While hormones in foods can cause negative consequences, Dr. Lyte says they may also create positive changes in our health. The hormone L-dopa has been isolated from broad beans and has successfully been used for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease in the elderly. Parkinson’s disease involves an absence of L-dopa in the brain, leading to very serious neurological problems such as those seen in ex-boxer Mohammed Ali. The consumption of 30 grams of broad beans has actually replaced conventional pill therapy for a number of patients. What Does This Mean for the Future? "The public has known for centuries that foods can affect our health in ways beyond foods as a simple source of nutrition." Said Dr. Lyte. "We are now studying if the hormones naturally contained in our food can affect our health." A better understanding of how the gut communicates with the brain could revolutionize the way we are able to treat health and behavior issues in society. If hormones contained in food do indeed affect our behavior and ability to fight disease, the possibility exists to design foods that can benefit our health and increase our sense of well-being.
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