Bacteria that naturally live in the human gut shows promise for helping fight colon cancer and inflammatory bowel disease, new research suggests.
Findings published in the journal Microbiology show that these bacteria work by converting a fat in the human diet into conjugated linoleic acid (CLA).
Only some types of CLA are beneficial to human digestion, according to the scientists. Dr. John Wallace of the Rowett Research Institute suggested that further research could show how to use the “good” kind of CLA to create more health resources for people.
“The results are of special interest for individuals using anti-obesity treatments that prevent the small intestine from absorbing fats,” he said.
Wallace emphasized that future studies will explore how different individuals produce CLA, which depends on the types of bacteria present in the gut.
A large body of research has focused on probioticsÂ’ potential to ease digestion and treat symptoms of bowel conditions. Probiotics may be consumed in the form of nutritional supplements or in foods including yogurt and tempeh. 