The researchers at UofL have determined that Urolithin A (UroA) and its synthetic counterpart, UAS03, mitigate IBD by increasing proteins that tighten epithelial cell junctions in the gut and reducing gut inflammation in animal models. Tight junctions in the gut barrier prevent inappropriate microorganisms and toxins from leaking out, causing inflammation characteristic of IBD. Preclinical research published today in shows the mechanism by which UroA and UAS03 not only reduce inflammation and restore gut barrier integrity, but also protect against colitis.

“The general belief thus far in the field is that urolithins exert beneficial effects through their anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative properties. We have for the first time discovered that their mode of function also includes repairing the gut barrier dysfunction and maintaining barrier integrity,” said Rajbir Singh, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow at UofL and the paper’s first author.

Venkatakrishna Rao Jala, PhD, assistant professor of microbiology and immunology at UofL, led the research, conducted by Singh and other collaborators at UofL, the Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine (inStem) in Bangalore, India, the University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, and Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia. Jala, Singh and other researchers at UofL have been investigating how metabolites produced by the human microbiota – bacteria, viruses and fungi that inhabit the human body – affect many areas of health. By understanding the effects of specific metabolites, they hope to use them directly as therapeutic agents in treating disease.

It has been reported that the microbe Bifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum INIA P815 strain in the gut has the ability to generate UroA from ellagic acid (EA), a compound found in berries and pomegranates. Variations in UroA levels, despite consumption of foods containing EA, may be the result of varied populations of bacteria responsible for the production of UroA from one individual to another, and some individuals may not have the bacteria at all. While encouraging natural levels of UroA in the gut by consuming the appropriate foods and protecting populations of beneficial bacteria should have positive health effects, the researchers believe the use of the more stable synthetic UAS03 may prove to be therapeutically effective in cases of acute colitis. Further experiments and clinical testing are needed to test these beliefs.

“Microbes in our gut have evolved to generate beneficial microbial metabolites in the vicinity of the gut barrier,” Jala said. “However, this requires that we protect and harbor the appropriate gut microbiota and consume a healthy diet. This study shows that direct consumption of UroA or its analog can compensate for a lack of the specific bacteria responsible for production of UroA and continuous consumption of pomegranates and berries.”

Haribabu Bodduluri, PhD, professor of microbiology and immunology at UofL and an author of the article, said another key finding of the research is that UroA and UAS03 show both therapeutic and protective effects. Administration of UroA/UAS03 after the development of colitis reverses the condition and administration prior to development of colitis prevents it from occurring.

This research was facilitated by funding from the National Cancer Institute to Jala and the , established at UofL in 2018 with funding from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences.

“Essentially, the idea is if you are exposed as an adult, and you decide to have kids, that exposure doesn’t end,” said UofL doctoral candidate, Jamie Young. “So it is passed on through the children.”

The UofL investigators used in utero��mouse models to look at how chronic exposure to the toxicants arsenic or cadmium in the womb would play out when those mice were grown. And, whether that exposure would exacerbate the negative health effects of a high-fat diet.

Dr. Chris States, associate dean for Research at the UofL School of Medicine and one of the lead investigators on this study, said chronic exposure can cause a variety of diseases in adults, including many cancers, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.��

Because arsenic and cadmium can find their way into ground water, he said one way people can be chronically exposed to arsenic is by drinking from contaminated wells.

“People who are using private wells are on their own to find out if there’s arsenic in their water,” States said. Contamination can be natural dependent on the type of rock, he said, or result from human activity and leach into the ground water.

According to estimated some 44 million people in the 48 contiguous U.S. states were on private wells in 2017. Of those, about 2.1 million people were potentially using wells that were contaminated with high concentrations of arsenic.��

To make things worse, the UofL research also showed those who are chronically exposed to toxicants in utero��could be more sensitive to the effects of a high-fat diet, such as diabetes and metabolic syndrome.

“The addition of arsenic actually causes more problems,” Young said. Combined with the negative side effects of high fat diet, she said, the outcomes are worse.

This study was to gather preliminary data to support a number of grant applications, which States hopes to use to continue studying the interaction of different health factors at the��UofL Center for Integrative and Environmental Health Sciences (CIEHS), where he’s also director.

The CIEHS is one of several Centers under the umbrella of . CIEHS research seeks to understand how life style factors interact with exposure to environmental toxicants in human health and disease and how life stage and gender influence these interactions.

Listen here for the��.

No joke. They are there to teach medical students about choosing and preparing food that will sustain their own health as well as give them the tools to talk about food realistically with their patients.

The culinary medicine program is a new eight-week elective for students at the University of Louisville School of Medicine designed to help future physicians understand the challenges their patients face in obtaining, selecting and preparing foods. Eat 2B Well was conceptualized by Toni Ganzel, MD, MBA, dean of the School of Medicine, Jon Klein, MD, PhD, vice dean for Research, and Karan Chavis, the dean’s chief of staff. UofL nutritionist Diana Pantalos, PhD, RDN, developed the curricular content.

Eat 2B Well was modeled on at Tulane University, developed by Timothy Harlan, MD.

With increasing evidence that a poor diet causes or exacerbates many chronic diseases, it is more important than ever for physicians to help their patients eat well. However, physicians traditionally learn about nutrition in terms of science and clinical impact, which doesn’t always translate to helping patients eat better. Eat 2B Well is aimed at helping future doctors understand the issues their patients face in terms of resources, time and food preparation skills.

“Many of the chronic health problems that burden the Commonwealth, such as obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease, can be prevented through good nutrition. The goal of Eat 2B Well is to equip UofL medical students with the real-world practical knowledge of nutrition and healthy cooking so that they can best help their future patients,” Klein said.

Each Eat 2B Well class includes instruction on practical nutrition, disease association, and food preparation from a team that includes a registered dietitian/nutritionist, a professional chef and a member of the Medical School faculty. Local chefs, including Anoosh Shariat of and , Kathy Douglas of the and Bobby Benjamin of provide instruction for the food preparation portion of the class.

Joining the medical students in the classes are students from the culinary track of , an education, job training and leadership program for low-income young adults ages 18-24. Classes include discussion of issues associated with food insecurity and the health problems resulting from poor nutrition. Class groups will then prepare meals utilizing cost-conscious ingredients readily available at grocery stores and markets in West Louisville, and prepared with equipment available in low-income homes.

“To talk comfortably about food, medical professionals need to be respectful of individuals’ food cultures, to understand how complex social factors influence food habits and to have hands-on experience preparing food themselves,” Pantalos said.

In the near future, organizers are planning to extend the program to include community engagement activities, providing at-risk families with food preparation education.

is providing food for the classes, which take place at , 340 W. Chestnut St. Additional sponsors include Gordon Food Service and Save-A-Lot Grocery. New Roots, Inc. and the Sullivan University and Jefferson Community and Technical College culinary arts programs have provided logistical support.

Celebrity chefs:

• Eneitra Beattie, Brown Forman Corporation, Bourbon Street Café
• Bobby Benjamin, Butchertown Grocery
• Kathy Douglas, Fresh Chef Experience
• Tina Lee, Fresh Stop Market, Dare to Care
• Lorita Rowlett, Fresh Stop Market
• Anoosh Shariat, Anoosh Bistro, Noosh Nosh
• Gabe Sowder, Wiltshire Pantry
• Andrea Wells, Farm to Baby Louisville

For example, six��new classes have been added, including KORU Mindfulness and Meditation, gentle yoga and yoga and Pilates on the HSC campus. GHN is also now offering small group training, providing members an opportunity to receive instruction from a personal trainer and receive feedback on technique and form.

According to Patricia Benson, AVP for Health, Wellness and Disease Management, GHN relies heavily on feedback from the campus community to add in-demand programming.

“We seek to provide the classes people are most interested in, which drives higher level engagement and participation,” she said.

New Year’s resolutioners typically respond, generating a 10-to-15-percent bump in volume at GHN this time of year. To help those members stay engaged and remain proactive beyond January, GHN switches up its offerings often.

“Doing the same thing over and over can get really boring,” Benson said. “Mentally and physically, switching things up helps keep the body engaged and excited about the next challenge.”

The most popular classes at GHN are Zumba, mindfulness and meditation classes, boot camp, Nia and yoga/Pilates, and InCycle Express. These are not compromised when the schedule is switched up; in fact, iterations are added, such as STRONG by Zumba and Morning of Mindfulness.

Wellness Coaching Certification

In addition to new fitness classes, as of June 2016, the UofL Get Healthy Now Wellness Coaching program is qualified as an Approved Transition Program through the National Consortium for Credentialing Health and Wellness Coaches. This means GHN is approved to certify Program Completion and Practical Skills of Health and Wellness Coaches.

“This designation is extremely important because starting this year, individuals cannot call themselves a Health and Wellness Coach unless they have been assessed by a NCCHWC Approved Transition Program,” Benson said. “Get Healthy Now is on the cutting edge in this area and in providing campus and community members this unique credentialing opportunity.”

Expanded partnership with UofL Physicians

GHN has also expanded its partnership with UofL Physicians to offer more health management programs and service locations to UofL medical plan participants.

Programs include diabetes, COPD, hypertension and hyperlipidemia. There are also programs currently under development, including asthma, congestive heart failure and obesity.

“Employees seeking support to better manage chronic health conditions and minimize out-of-pocket pharmacy costs will find this program to be helpful,” Benson said.

Locations include the GHN Wellness Center to service the Belknap Campus, and the Health Management Services, UofL Physicians Outpatient Center on the HSC Campus.

Outside of the gym

Finally, if working out at a gym isn’t your thing, and if you’re not seeking a coaching certification or health management service, GHN has introduced a few other motivational opportunities as part of its comprehensive programming.

• The Walk and Run Club, for example, launched Jan. 26 and is geared toward those who want to train for Louisville’s Triple Crown/Mini Marathon races, or those who simply want to integrate more steps into their day.
• Colorful Choices is a six-week virtual challenge created to make it easy for participants to put produce first and make healthy nutrition a daily habit. The class launches in mid-February.
• Take 20s are offered throughout all three campuses to encourage employees to take a 20-minute break during the day with GHN team members to engage in movement exercises and nutrition and stress management offerings.
• GHN has teamed up with the American Heart Association for the Healthy Hearts Roadshow, with visits to all three campuses to provide blood pressure screenings, as well as assessments to measure heart health and actionable steps to support cardiovascular wellness.

The Healthy Hearts Roadshow is an example of why Benson is especially optimistic about the year ahead.

“I am most appreciative and excited about the collaborative partnerships with campus and community partners, like the School of Medicine and AHA, who allow us to expand the geographical reach of our workplace wellness offerings,” she said. “Our arms are only so long, but when we wrap them together, united in effort, it is amazing how far we can reach.”

Photo provided by .

At the next Beer with a Scientist,��, will explain what we know – and what we don’t know – about dietary fat and health.

“Lots of information is presented in the media in a dogmatic way, but current science is revealing highly nuanced information on dietary fat and health, and recent studies have contradicted what we thought we knew,” Cowart said. “I will present current scientific data that challenge commonly held notions about dietary fat and health risks of obesity.”

Cowart is associate professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the Medical University of South Carolina. Her work focuses on understanding how dietary intake of fats alters cellular processes leading to diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. By understanding how different fats alter different cellular processes, her group hopes to find therapeutic targets to help treat various conditions. Cowart is the first out-of-state speaker at a Beer with a Scientist event and only the second speaker not affiliated with UofL.

The event begins at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 18, at Against the Grain Brewery, 401 E. Main St. in Louisville. A 30-minute presentation will be followed by an informal Q&A session.

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