Gut Cure: How to Heal Your Microbiome and Reclaim Your Health from the Inside Out

Story at-a-glance

• My newest book, “Gut Cure: Stop the Rot, Restore Your Body From the Inside Out,” which comes out tomorrow, puts the spotlight on the modern epidemic of invisible gut dysfunction, and offers you a roadmap to true restoration
• Your gut microbiome acts as a command center for digestion, immunity, metabolism, and brain health; when microbial diversity drops, symptoms often go beyond digestion
• Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), especially butyrate, are essential compounds made by healthy gut bacteria that help repair your gut lining, calm inflammation, stabilize blood sugar, and support mental clarity
• Modern diets heavy in seed oils (including linoleic acid), emulsifiers, and ultraprocessed foods disrupt beneficial bacteria and reduce butyrate production, leaving your gut undernourished even if you eat “healthy” foods
• Simple changes, such as replacing seed oils with stable fats like butter, ghee, or coconut oil, can lower inflammation, rebalance your microbiome, and help your body begin healing from the inside out

You're active. You eat clean. You check ingredient labels, drink protein shakes, and track your macros. By all appearances, you're doing everything right. But deep down, something still feels off. You crash midafternoon, battle unexplained bloating, or struggle with joint pain that seems too stubborn for your age. You've tried taking supplements or changing your diet. So why are the symptoms still there?

Analysis by Dr. Joseph Mercola

 

Butyrate — A Tiny Molecule with Big Potential for Health and Healing

• Butyrate is a short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) produced when gut bacteria ferment dietary fiber. It provides energy for colon cells and offers health benefits beyond basic nutrition
• Research suggests butyrate helps manage inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) by reducing inflammation, improving symptoms and strengthening gut barrier integrity
• Laboratory studies show butyrate helps inhibit cancer cell growth and trigger cell death in colorectal cancer cells, with clinical trials exploring its use alongside traditional treatments
• Butyrate has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism in metabolic disorders, while also influencing appetite-regulating hormones
• Studies show butyrate protects against neurodegenerative diseases by reducing brain inflammation and enhancing neuronal repair and survival.

Butyrate is a short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) produced in your gut when beneficial bacteria ferment dietary fiber, which your body cannot digest on its own.

As the primary energy source for colonocytes (the cells lining your colon), butyrate provides up to 70% of their energy needs.1 However, its benefits go far beyond just fueling those cells — it also reduces inflammation, strengthens your gut barrier and supports immune system balance.2 These properties make butyrate a promising molecule for managing a wide variety of conditions and improving overall health.

Analysis by Dr. Joseph Mercola

 

The Keto HDAC Myth — How One Paper Misled Millions for a Decade

Story at-a-glance

• A 2013 Science paper claimed beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), the primary ketone body produced during ketosis, was a potent histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor with powerful epigenetic benefits — this claim became the foundation of the keto movement's health narrative
• A devastating 2019 head-to-head comparison in Scientific Reports found that BHB shows no detectable HDAC inhibition in vitro or in vivo, while butyrate (a different molecule produced by gut bacteria) demonstrates robust HDAC-inhibiting activity
• The bitter irony: ketogenic diets actually reduce colonic butyrate production by depleting fiber intake and diminishing butyrate-producing gut bacteria — the very diet designed to boost the "HDAC-inhibiting ketone" may be depleting the actual HDAC inhibitor
• While BHB has legitimate benefits as an alternative fuel source and GPR109A receptor activator, the widespread claim that ketosis provides "epigenetic therapy" through HDAC inhibition appears to be scientifically unfounded
• Oral butyrate supplements are largely ineffective because butyrate is absorbed in the small intestine before reaching the colon where it's needed — currently, no commercially available product effectively delivers butyrate to the colon

For the past decade, the ketogenic diet community has promoted a compelling narrative: that entering ketosis produces beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), which acts as a powerful histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor, unlocking profound epigenetic benefits that explain many of the diet's purported health advantages.

Analysis by Dr. Joseph Mercola

 

How Urolithin A Drives Mitochondrial Renewal and Slows Immune Aging

Story at-a-glance

• As you age, your thymus produces fewer newly formed cells responsible for responding to unfamiliar pathogens, reducing your immune system's adaptability. This shift, combined with persistent inflammation, defines the core features of immune aging
• Urolithin A, a postbiotic compound, stimulates mitochondrial renewal in aging immune cells. A recent study shows it can increase naïve-like T cells and strengthen immune surveillance in just four weeks of supplementation
• Clinical findings show that urolithin A boosts mitochondrial renewal pathways, increases markers linked to mitochondrial biogenesis, and improves immune cell metabolism
• Beyond immune health, studies reveal that urolithin A influences cancer pathways, enhances muscle strength and endurance, improves fatty liver markers, and reshapes metabolic signaling involved in obesity and insulin resistance
• Beyond using urolithin A, you can also support your mitochondria by lowering linoleic acid intake, eating the right carbohydrates, limiting environmental toxins, and supporting NAD⁺ production with niacinamide.
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• Most people tend to think of immune health mainly as a defense against seasonal colds or infections. In reality, its influence runs deeper. A well-balanced immune system helps regulate inflammation, maintain internal stability, and support energy and vitality. As the years pass, however, the immune system undergoes natural changes that are part of the aging process itself.1

Analysis by Dr. Joseph Mercola

 

     

New Data Connects Smartphone Ownership at Age 12 to Obesity and Mental Health Concerns

Story at-a-glance

• Early smartphone ownership at age 12 is linked to higher risks of depression, obesity, and insufficient sleep, placing your child on a riskier long-term developmental path
• Each year earlier a child receives a smartphone increases the odds of obesity and insufficient sleep, showing just how much the timing of that first phone shapes their health
• Children who acquire a smartphone between ages 12 and 13 face sharply higher rates of emotional symptoms and poor sleep compared to peers who remain phone-free
• Receiving a smartphone before age 13 is linked to lower self-worth, weaker emotional resilience, and greater psychological distress in young adulthood
• Simple steps like delaying smartphone access, keeping devices out of bedrooms, and reducing wireless exposure support healthier sleep, emotional steadiness, and long-term well-being

Twelve-year-olds in the U.S. live in a world where smartphone access feels almost unavoidable, yet the decision to give a device at this age carries far more weight than some parents realize. Many families assume that a phone is simply a tool for convenience or safety, but the emerging data signals something deeper: early access shapes how your child sleeps, handles stress, and interprets their social world.

Analysis by Dr. Joseph Mercola

                         YOU ARE MY ANCHOR 💓

     Yesterday I said that to my wife, partner and love of my life.

      During one of my sleepless sessions, I thought about something that happened some fifty years ago.

     We were teaching in Tatitlek a Chugash Indian village located in Prince Willam Sound, where the town of Valdez is located.

     One day I noticed from my window, which had a view of the dock, an Alaska State trooper disembarking from a skiff (small boat). I wondered who got into trouble in the village?

     A little while later, I got the answer, as the trooper was knocking on our door! It was for me. A gift from my ex-wife and her new husband, one of our neighbors! 

     Since we were twenty or so miles from Valdez, I had to take my skiff and head in to be able to respond to the summon.

     This was in the middle of winter, a very hazardous time to be travelling in a small twenty foot skiff!

      The trip in was luckily not bad at all. The weather was good.😃 I went in, spent the night and took care of business from a friend's house, the Londagins. 

       The  following day, I headed back home to Tatitlek. The weather had taken a turn to the worse. The winds were severe. However when looking at the water from the citydock,  it wasn't that bad. The skiff wouldn't have a problem. Off I went. 💪

     When I went through the Narrows and entered into the Sound a short distance, the wind turned violent. (gulp!)

     

Valdez is at the top portion of the picture, Bligh Reef is where I anchored after entering the Sound. The break in the land is where I anchored for the night to wait out the weather. The winds had developed huge breakers around Bligh Reef, the entrance into the Tatitlek Narrows to home.

     I knew that if I decided to try to go adound the reef, I more than likely would NOT make it. I pulled into the anchorage and dorpped anchor. I spent the night and in the morning, the wind had subsided - home I went to my loved one!😉 I am actualy visiluizing this trip as I write.

     My hope is that I can return the favor an be HER ANCHOR for the tough times.😀

     

     

                                                     WHAT IS LOVE 💓?

     After 61 years of being HAPPILY married, I think I AM qualified enough to give you my rendition of what happens when you are fortunate to have the necessary qualities.

     The onset of ROBOT production is trying to mimic human behavior, mechanically. The brain is an electrically controlled by an mechanical instument, called a computer. It conrols all of its robotic functions. However it cannot FEEL love. It might only mimic it, as we humans sometimes do.😔 It appears that it might be succesful. C'est la vie, of a robot.

     The actions of a human are also controlled by an electical system, composed of organic material, called the brain. It posseses the necessary information to control ALL of its bodily function.

     Since we are electronically controlled, we have both postive and negative charges. The law states that like charges repel and opposite charges attract. Now that expalins the polarity difference between male and female bodies. (I could'nt designate the plus  nor the minus sign for them because I am NOT stupid!)

     If there is a polarity problem in the brain then you will get a disorder in that body's brain without changing the body's (two completely different systems.)

     Love is an emotional situation (heart 💓, feeling love) and also a physical (making love,( sex)) both expressed differently. Vive la diffe*rence! (I couldn't put the proper accent on the first E.)😒

     When through the passage of time (old age) or a problem (disease) happens, an ANXIETY SYNDROME comes into play. It will change the polarity within the brain from what it was. That is a huge PROBLEM for the person.😕

     THE problem is, how does the loved one, handle that situation?😕

      I can tell you from experience,😒 I think the only solution is to be lovingly 💓 understanding and very sympathetic 💞 toward your partner. 

        (A little praying probably would'nt hurt.)

 

High Ultraprocessed Food Intake Linked to Lower DNA Methylation

• A study of 30 adult women revealed those consuming 45% of their daily calories as ultraprocessed foods showed hypomethylation in 80 genome regions, affecting genes linked to fat storage, insulin sensitivity, and cancer progression
• Research on 3,152 European children found that ultraprocessed food consumption caused consistent DNA methylation changes affecting thyroid function, liver health, DNA repair, and stress-response genes
• Methylation changes occur even in healthy-weight individuals, demonstrating that genetic damage accumulates years before traditional metabolic markers like blood sugar, cholesterol, or body fat show problems
• Breaking ultraprocessed food addiction requires restocking your pantry with whole foods, adding protein and fiber to 
• meals, reading ingredient labels carefully, and building supportive communities focused on healthier eating.

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• Food is a cornerstone of health, and the healthier your choices are, the healthier you'll be. However, the modern Western diet, which is filled with ultraprocessed food, is anything but healthy. These products are made with synthetic ingredients that ultimately drive chronic disease.

• Now, a new study goes into the mechanisms of ultraprocessed foods, and the findings are shocking. Researchers found that these products reshape your body at the genetic level by rewriting biological instructions, silencing protective genes and activating harmful ones, and basically creating cellular chaos.

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Analysis by Dr. Joseph Mercola

 

I am changing what I do. I will provide the link to an article that is interesting   Just click the  link and paste itmin your browser.

 https://youtu.be/UnhT77W9mtQ?t=6201

Why Antidepressants Aren’t Fixing Depression — and How the System Keeps That Truth Buried

 

How Metabolic Health and Inflammation Influence Cancer Risk

Story at-a-glance

• Chronic inflammation and broken metabolism create the conditions that allow cancer cells to grow, spread, and overwhelm your body’s natural defenses
• Stress hormones like cortisol block glucose use and flood your system with fatty acids, forcing your cells into a backup energy mode that fuels tumors
• A combination of vitamins B1, B3, and B7 restored clean energy production in lab models, stopping tumor growth and showing promise for shifting metabolism back toward health
• Adding aspirin to this vitamin trio moved tumors from remission to complete disappearance in animal studies, with historical evidence showing these doses can be used safely
• Simple daily choices — such as reducing seed oils, supporting vitamin D, calming gut inflammation, and balancing hormones — help lower chronic stress signals and protect long-term health

Cancer doesn't appear out of nowhere — it develops in an environment your body has been shaping for years. One of the most overlooked factors is the way everyday stressors gradually push your system out of balance. When your body is constantly under pressure, the signals that control repair, growth, and immunity start working against you instead of for you.

You might not notice it at first. A little more tired than usual, a few pounds gained or lost without explanation, aches that seem to linger — these are all signs your body is stuck in a cycle of strain. Left unchecked, this state doesn't just wear you down, it lays the groundwork for serious disease.

Analysis by Dr. Joseph Mercola

 

A Deep Dive Into Butyrate — Your Gut’s Powerhouse Molecule

Story at-a-glance

• Butyrate is a short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) produced by gut bacteria that ferment dietary fiber. It serves as essential fuel for colon cells and maintaining overall systemic health
• Adequate fiber intake — around 30 grams daily — is crucial for butyrate production. Without it, your body burns stored fat and protein, creating disease-causing byproducts
• Butyrate strengthens your gut barrier, preventing intestinal permeability that allows harmful substances to enter the bloodstream and trigger autoimmune responses
• Research shows butyrate improves insulin sensitivity, reduces diabetes risk, lowers bad cholesterol, prevents colorectal cancer, and supports brain health
• Boost butyrate by eating fiber-rich foods, resistant starches, fermented foods and probiotics, while avoiding processed foods, managing stress, and limiting unnecessary antibiotics

Gut health is a cornerstone for optimal wellness, and one aspect of it that deserves more attention is butyrate. In a presentation titled "Butyrate: The Key to Optimal Health and Well-Being,"1 Indiana-based dietitian Dawn Boxell takes a deep dive into the importance of this crucial molecule, which is a topic I'm also passionate about.

Please watch YouTube video:

https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2026/01/19/deep-dive-into-butyrate-guts-powerhouse-molecule.aspx?ui=2ce50f7b7b2c7e6a19036c1284fe1fe390cd9ed962c31382e75e2db3ca24d4bb&sd=20130819&cid_source=wnl&cid_medium=email&cid_content=art1ReadMore&cid=20260119Z1&foDate=true&mid=DM1870911&rid=482868240

Analysis by Dr. Joseph Mercola

 

Stress Alters Metabolic Hormone with Health Consequences, Study Shows

Story at-a-glance

• Research from Columbia University shows that psychological stress changes a key metabolic hormone, linking emotional strain directly to energy production and overall health
• People with healthy mitochondria experience a drop in this hormone under stress, while those with mitochondrial dysfunction show an increase — demonstrating how cellular energy capacity shapes stress resilience
• Chronic stress overstimulates classic stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, disrupting blood sugar control, promoting fat storage, and exhausting your mitochondria — the engines that power every cell
• Social isolation and loneliness were linked to higher levels of stress-related hormones, suggesting that emotional well-being and physical metabolism are deeply connected
• Restoring mitochondrial balance through nutrition, regular movement, deep sleep, and meaningful connection helps calm stress chemistry, boost energy, and slow biological aging

Stress doesn’t just live in your head — it reshapes your entire body. Every time you feel anxious, overworked, or emotionally strained, your cells react. Hormones shift, energy production slows, and inflammation rises. Over time, those invisible reactions create measurable wear and tear that affects how quickly you age, how well you recover, and even how clearly you think.

Your mitochondria — the tiny power plants in your cells — sit at the center of this process. When they function well, you feel alert, resilient, and balanced. But when they falter, everything suffers. Energy crashes. Hormones go haywire.

Analysis by Dr. Joseph Mercola

 

Calcium Supplements and Dementia 

Major Study Busts Long-Held Myth

Story at-a-glance

• Calcium supplements were long feared to increase dementia risk, but new long-term research found no connection between calcium use and cognitive decline, even among women with heart disease or prior strokes
• The 14.5-year study published in The Lancet Regional Health showed that calcium carbonate supplements did not raise dementia-related hospitalizations or deaths, dispelling decades of concern about vascular calcification or brain damage
• Your brain and bones rely on nutrient synergy — calcium works best when paired with magnesium, vitamin D3, and vitamin K2, which ensure calcium strengthens bones instead of depositing in arteries or soft tissue
• Keeping your calcium-to-phosphorus ratio near 1:1 is key for both skeletal and cognitive health, since excessive phosphorus from processed foods, soda and meat-heavy diets forces calcium out of bones and contributes to arterial calcification
• The safest way to protect your brain and bones is through whole-food calcium sources such as raw grass fed cheese, yogurt, and eggshell powder, paired with balanced sun exposure and nutrient cofactors that keep calcium working where it should

For decades, older adults have been warned that taking calcium supplements could harm their brains. Those warnings stemmed from small observational studies suggesting calcium might increase dementia risk by promoting vascular calcification or white matter lesions in the brain. Dementia, meaning a progressive decline in memory, reasoning, and behavior that interferes with daily life, affects 57 million people worldwide, according to the World Health Organization.1

It’s a devastating condition that robs independence, identity, and connection — so it’s no surprise that any hint of increased risk sparks concern. Calcium, however, is not a nutrient you can simply eliminate. It’s the most abundant mineral in your body and foundational for bone density, heart rhythm, muscle contraction, and nerve signaling. You need enough of it every day, especially as you age.

Analysis by Dr. Joseph Mercola