IBS10 min read
Mast cells keep the gut barrier on edge in IBS
Mast cells sit next to the gut barrier and can make it leakier and more sensitive in IBS. See the evidence, the common triggers and what…
Gut Pathways
Articles
Articles on digestion, the microbiome and the molecules that connect them, written by a biochemist.
IBS13 min read
Cephalic phase of digestion and why IBS can start before you eat
How the cephalic phase of digestion prepares the stomach before the first bite, what the studies on sham feeding show, why distracted eating may weaken it,…
IBS17 min read
How to match digestive enzymes for bloating to your meal
Digestive enzymes for bloating work when they match the food behind it. A food-by-food guide to lactase, alpha-galactosidase, lipase and amylase, with dose and timing.
Gut-brain axis14 min read
What ultraprocessed foods may do to a child’s growing brain
What the 2026 study of ultraprocessed foods and children's brains found: smaller subcortical regions at age 6, the climb in intake with age, US intake data,…
SIBO18 min read
Does oregano oil work for SIBO?
Oregano oil has real antimicrobial activity, but the human SIBO evidence comes from multi-herb protocols. See what the studies show, the breath test limits and the…
Histamine14 min read
Migraine and IBS share a histamine link in the gut
Why migraine and IBS travel together: the comorbidity numbers, histamine, tryptase, serotonin and gut dysbiosis, the bacteria studied in migraine, DAO deficiency and the foods that…
IBS15 min read
Can gut bacteria cause prostatitis?
How gut bacteria and prostatitis are connected: the intestinal reservoir of uropathogens, endotoxin and immune routes, Mendelian randomization data, bacterial prostatitis versus chronic pelvic pain syndrome,…
Chronic diarrhea17 min read
Why metformin causes diarrhea in some people and not others
Why metformin causes diarrhea in some people and not others: how common it is, the OCT1 transporter and other genes, drugs that block OCT1, extended release,…
IBS14 min read
IBS and low testosterone
How IBS and low testosterone are connected: lower free testosterone in IBS, androgen loss and slow colonic transit, rectal sensitivity in men, gut endotoxin and Leydig…
IBS18 min read
Why night shift work is linked to IBS and slow gut damage
Why night shift work is linked to IBS: the cohort data, new 2026 findings in night shift workers, the six gut mediators that lose their rhythm,…