Publications by authors named "Richard A Forsgard"

Background: An increased intestinal permeability is a common feature in patients with diarrhoea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D). Probiotics have shown to improve IBS symptoms and might also affect intestinal barrier function.

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a 6-week intervention with Limosilactobacillus reuteri ATCC PTA 6475 alone (single strain) or in combination with Limosilactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 (dual strain) on gut barrier function, immune markers, and symptoms in IBS-D patients (ClinicalTrials.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Studies have shown that probiotics can decrease the symptoms of respiratory tract infections as well as increase antibody responses following certain vaccinations. We examined the effect of probiotic supplementation on anti-SARS-CoV-2 specific antibody responses upon SARS-CoV-2 infection as well as after COVID-19 vaccination. In this randomized, triple-blinded, placebo-controlled intervention study with a parallel design, 159 healthy adults without prior SARS-CoV-2 infection or COVID-19 vaccination and any known risk factors for severe COVID-19 were randomly allocated into two study arms.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Gastrointestinal toxicity is a frequently observed adverse event during cancer treatment with traditional chemotherapeutics. Currently, traditional chemotherapeutics are often combined with targeted biologic agents. These biologics, however, possess a distinct toxicity profile, and they may also exacerbate the adverse effects of traditional chemotherapeutics.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Globally, ∼70% of adults are deficient in intestinal lactase, the enzyme required for the digestion of lactose. In these individuals, the consumption of lactose-containing milk and dairy products can lead to the development of various gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms. The primary solution to lactose intolerance is withdrawing lactose from the diet either by eliminating dairy products altogether or substituting lactose-free alternatives.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are a promising candidate for treatment of inflammatory disorders, but their efficacy in human inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) has been inconsistent. Comparing the results from various pre-clinical and clinical IBD studies is also challenging due to a large variation in study designs.

Methods: In this comparative pre-clinical study, we compared two administration routes and investigated the safety and feasibility of both fresh and cryopreserved platelet-lysate-expanded human bone marrow-derived MSCs without additional licensing in a dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) colitis mouse model both in the acute and regenerative phases of colitis.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Purpose: Athletes frequently experience gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms during training and competition. Although the prevalence of exercise-induced GI symptoms is high, the mechanisms leading to GI distress during exercise are not fully understood. The aim of this study was to identify running-induced changes in intestinal permeability and markers of GI function and investigate their association with gastrointestinal symptoms.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Purpose: Chemotherapy-induced gastrointestinal toxicity (CIGT) is a complex process that involves multiple pathophysiological mechanisms. We have previously shown that commonly used chemotherapeutics 5-fluorouracil, oxaliplatin, and irinotecan damage the intestinal mucosa and increase intestinal permeability to iohexol. We hypothesized that CIGT is associated with alterations in fecal microbiota and metabolome.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Purpose: Gastrointestinal toxicity is the most common adverse effect of chemotherapy. Chemotherapeutic drugs damage the intestinal mucosa and increase intestinal permeability. Intestinal permeability is one of the key markers of gastrointestinal function and measuring intestinal permeability could serve as a useful tool for assessing the severity of chemotherapy-induced gastrointestinal toxicity.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF