Microbiome

Microbiome maintenance:

How could good gut health improve the immune system?

Did you know that the human body is home to about 100 billion microorganisms?

In fact, they outnumber human cells by a ratio of 10 to 1. Humans, animals and plants have our own unique microbiomes. Without bacteria, we probably would not exist.

Today, many people use the words microbiota and microbiome to mean the same thing. So, Is there a difference between these words?

• The intestinal microbiota is part of humans from birth and affects the functioning of the whole organism. It consists of a wide variety of bacteria, viruses, fungi and other single-celled animals that live in the body.

• The microbiome is the name given to all the genes within these microbial cells; it is the community of microorganisms made up of trillions of cells, including bacteria, protozoa, viruses and fungi; living in a particular habitat. The largest populations of microbes reside in the gut, others are found on the skin.

How does good gut health relate to immune system response?

Many countries have invested large sums in researching interactions within the ecosystem of the human body and their relevance to health and disease.

Recent research by Tim Spector highlights that the highly active microbial community interacts with the host and performs many beneficial functions, which explains its tolerance by the host organism. In addition, the gut microbiome plays an important role in the body's immune response to infections.

Recently, probiotic supplementation has had beneficial effects in response to the immune system and has two main functions, which are as follows:

1. They displace pathogenic microorganisms, reducing their concentration.

2. They generate organic compounds (alcohol, acids and antibiotics) that kill pathogens.

These beneficial microorganisms are absorbed by the intestinal wall, stimulating the main antibodies, thus giving an immune response to the host.

Published by:
Héctor González Del Valle
Chemical Engineer

Nature and Cannabis

The most versatile plant with a promising approach in health

A plant with thousands of years of history

In fact, cannabis or hemp was one of the first plants cultivated by man thousands of years ago and was used both medicinally and recreationally for its psychoactive and therapeutic effects as an anti-emetic, analgesic and anxiolytic. In ancient India it was considered one of the five most sacred plants, referred to as a source of happiness, joy, peace and freedom.

¿Cannabis o Hemp?

The denominations "Cannabis" and "hemp" are simply genetic variations that have been generated for centuries but that the origin comes from a single plant Cannabis Sativa L. The difference is in its history, Cannabis was considered for its most abundant psychoactive compound (THC) followed by low concentrations of CBD, that is why it later received the name of "marijuana" unfortunately. On the other hand, the term "hemp" started to be used when the great nutritional benefits such as sleep conciliation, appetite stimulation and nausea control, containing one of the most important cannabinoids such as CBD while producing negligible levels of psychoactive substances (THC) were realized.

Both hemp and cannabis contain dozens of other cannabinoids and other compounds that together make a fundamental synergy to provide a wide variety of applications for the benefit of human health.

Did you know that Cannabis Sativa is a plant that contains more than 400 chemical compounds, of which 60 are phytocannabinoids with potentially positive health effects?

Cannabinoids are natural chemical compounds that are part of the biological structure of Cannabis plants. Within this category are phytocannabinoids (from the plant) and endocannabinoids (produced by the human body).

Apart from the 400 components that the plant possesses, there are approximately 60 phytocannabinoids in different concentrations and stages of maturation, two of them being the most important: THC (Tetrahydrocannabidiol) and CBD (Cannabidiol).

In hemp, the most predominant phytocannabinoid is CBD and the others exist in small quantities, but they have a slightly different specific function, and although cannabinoids are fundamental, the other compounds (flavonoids and terpenes) are also necessary so that together they have a better synergy and act effectively causing positive changes in our organism, thanks to the Endocannabinoid System (ECS).

The SEC is a system found in every part of the human and animal body, its main function is to keep in balance all physiological and biological processes to function better, such as modulation of neurotransmitter release, regulation of pain, stress and recovery, maintenance of homeostasis, memory control and countless other benefits that interact in certain locations of the human body.

Overall this plant has a promising approach to human health that has the unique ability to bring about changes in our body, thanks to the Endocannabinoid System which is a particularly important complex modulator in the maintenance of homeostasis.

Published by:
Anthony Betancourt Romero
Pharmaceutical Chemist

Magnesium in our life

The importance of magnesium in our diet

Magnesium is an essential mineral for the human body, necessary for the activation of more than 300 enzyme systems. It plays an essential role in numerous biological mechanisms, contributes to energy production and helps regulate calcium levels, as well as copper, zinc, potassium, vitamin D and other important nutrients in the body.

All organs of the body, especially the heart, muscles and kidneys, need the mineral magnesium. It also contributes to the composition of teeth and bones.

What is the best way to supplement magnesium?

In an ideal world, we should get all the nutrients and minerals from the foods we eat every day. However, due to food refinement and processing, the nutritional values of foods and crops have significantly decreased.

For example, the use of herbicides containing glyphosate that are commonly used to kill weeds, cause crops to grow that are deficient in minerals and, as a result, only a fraction of what we need.

Therefore, it is important to supplement with products that contain a representative amount of elemental magnesium as stated in the nutritional tables found on food and supplement labels.

So, Is it advisable to take any supplement containing magnesium?

Inorganic magnesium salts are commonly used in the market due to a cost issue, higher magnesium content that can be declared with a small amount of the salt, etc. However, it is recommended to supplement with organic magnesium salts.

Is there a difference if I supplement with organic or inorganic salts?

The main difference between organic and inorganic compounds is that organics always contain hydrogen-bonded carbon in their structure, while most inorganic compounds do not.

Another difference between them is that inorganic mineral salts have low bioavailability, high heavy metal content and that, in addition, the presence of contaminants that are not recognized by the body can cause stomach problems such as diarrhea and flatulence.

While organic salts have a high bioavailability, are assimilable in our body, participate in biochemical synthesis and have no side effects.

What other potential benefits do I get from supplementing with magnesium?

According to guidelines from the Food and Nutrition Board (FNB) of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies Washington (National Academy of Sciences), magnesium supplementation may have the following benefits:

• Reducing tiredness and fatigue

• Normal functioning of the nervous system

• Muscle relaxation

• Protein synthesis

• Electrolyte balance

• Maintains the proper functioning of bones and teeth

In general, magnesium is an essential mineral for the body that fulfills multiple functions and it is of great importance to maintain an adequate supplementation of this mineral in the form of organic salts in order to have a high level of absorption.

Published by:
Héctor González del Valle
Chemical Engineer

Blue light may increase risk of macular degeneration

Blue light may increase risk of macular degeneration

Laboratory studies have shown that excessive exposure to blue light damages light-sensitive cells in the retina. This causes changes that resemble macular degeneration, which can lead to permanent vision loss.

While more research is needed to determine how much too much blue light (either natural or man-made) is too much for the retina, many eye care professionals are concerned that excessive exposure to such light from computer screens, smartphones and other digital devices may increase a person's risk of developing macular degeneration years later.

According to a study by the “Fundación Telefónica ”, a smartphone user looks at his or her cell phone about 150 times a day.

Eye exposure to blue light has increased dramatically in recent years, mainly due to three causes:

Increasing artificial light sources

Increased use of electronic devices

Lack of physiological compensatory mechanisms

The invasion of electronic devices that emit so much blue light has occurred in a very short time, leaving insufficient time for the body to develop physiological compensatory mechanisms to protect itself.

The fact that blue light is both beneficial and harmful raises a critical question:

Can we protect the eye from harmful blue light without denying ourselves the blue light we physiologically need?

Currently, the dispensing of optical products increasingly falls to the physician, and optometrists on the type of glasses or lenses to use, however, if we go beyond external protection and build an eye protection system that works both internally and externally, the results would be more encouraging.

Of the more than 600 carotenoids found in nature, only the lutein and zeaxanthin isomers are found in the eye, specifically the macula, acting as primary filters of high-energy blue light.

These lutein and zeaxanthin isomers support visual health and acuity by protecting against oxidative stress and inflammation. Adequate supplementation of these carotenoids found in marigold extracts could be a convenient and cost-effective way to increase the benefits of eye health treatment, especially when blue light is part of our daily environment.

Published by:
Franchesca Barzola Pesantes
Chemical Engineer