An Integrative and Functional Medicine Resource for Healthcare Professionals
Today’s Practitioner provides integrative and functional medicine practitioners with clinical research, expert insights, emerging science, and practical resources to improve patient care.
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L-Theanine: Patient Selection Guide
In clinical practice, practitioners often see patients with stress-related issues due to lifestyle, environment, and other common stressors. This frequently ...
Bone Morphogenetic Proteins (BMPs): The Next Frontier in Bone and Cartilage Health?
Bone morphogenetic proteins are known for helping difficult fractures heal, but their role may extend much further. New research highlights BMP signaling as a potential ...
Saffron and Depression: What New Research Shows
In 2026, the saffron research landscape has shifted from "promising spice" to a sophisticated, evidence-based botanical ally for mental health, particularly when it comes to ...
Autoimmune Gastritis: The Real Issue No One Has Discussed
In the case of tech entrepreneur Bryan Johnson, the most expensive, most data-rich health optimization protocol on the planet produced eleven years of an unread ...
5-HTP: Clinical Benefits, Uses, Dosage and Practitioner Considerations
5-HTP is a direct metabolic precursor to serotonin and has been studied for mood and sleep applications. Here is what practitioners should know about the ...
Study Shows Wax-Matrix Niacin Safely Improves Several Lipid Measures
A systematic review found that extended-release wax-matrix niacin improved several blood lipid measures, while also highlighting the need to monitor fasting blood glucose.
L-Theanine: Clinical Benefits, Uses, Dosage and Practitioner Considerations
L-theanine is a non-protein amino acid found naturally in the leaves of Camellia sinensis, the plant used to produce green, ...
Study Compares Sustained Release vs “No-Flush” Niacin Formulations
A six-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial compared 1,500 mg/day of wax-matrix extended-release niacin with the same dose of inositol hexanicotinate, often marketed as “no-flush” niacin. ...
Natural Strategies to Address Cardiovascular Health in Women
Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in women, yet it continues to be underdiagnosed, misunderstood, and undertreated in ...
Biofilms — A Contributor to Chronic, Degenerative Disease
From the plaque on our teeth to the mucosal layers in the gut lumen, biofilms are everywhere in our environment — and they are a ...
TCM Outperforms Conventional Drug for Kids’ Respiratory Infections
A team of Chinese researchers found that Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) was more effective at treating recurrent respiratory tract infections (RRTIs) in children compared to ...
Effects of dietary selenium on immune function of spleen in mice
Journal of Functional Foods Xin Zhang, Liangliang Zhang, Kaide Xia, Jie Dai, Jiangtao Huang, Yun Wang, Guiming Zhu, Zuquan Hu, Zhu Zeng, Yi Jia ABSTRACT: ...
Elderberry (Sambucus nigra): Setting the Record Straight
By Jessie Hawkins, PhD/ Elderberries–dark purple berries from the Sambucus nigra plant–have become a universal natural remedy for respiratory complaints such as the common cold ...
Major Boost in COVID-19 Protective Antibodies Seen in Breast Milk after Vaccination
Nursing mothers who receive a COVID-19 vaccine may pass protective antibodies to their babies through breast milk for at least 80 days following vaccination, suggests ...
DISCOVERY: Immune Defense Guidance System Identified
A new mice experimental study shows that at the kick off of the immune response, the molecule sphingosine 1 phosphate (S1P) mobilizes immune cells into ...
Tissue Stiffness Contributes to Immune Responses & Chronic Aging Diseases
A new study shows that tissue stiffness causes tension in cells, which likely drives immune responses in many chronic diseases. The findings suggest the cellular ...
Part 1: Melatonin, Immune Function, and Inflammation
A look at the physiological role of melatonin beyond its sleep-supportive and antioxidant effects. Melatonin and Respiratory Health Melatonin has been shown to improve various ...
The Immune and Gastrointestinal Benefits of Colostrum
From Top-Notch Athletes to the Critically Ill, this Colostral “First Milk” Provides Nutritional Protection What’s the nutritional superfood almost all of us have had at ...
Can Melatonin Treat Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)?
Melatonin is a sleep hormone that helps regulate the body’s circadian rhythm. Intestinal melatonin levels are 400 times higher than in systemic circulation, playing a major role in gut health. It has anxiolytic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and motility-regulating effects. Human studies have shown ...
Probiotic Metabolite May Help Treat IBS
Science is only beginning to understand the role that the gut microbiome—the collection of bacteria and other microbes that live in our intestines—plays in our overall health. For one thing, these tiny tenants of our digestive system metabolize various components of our ...
Does Fiber Make IBD Worse?
Eat more fiber — patients with irritable bowel disease (IBD) hear it all the time from well-meaning experts. But what if that advice is wrong, or even harmful? According to a new study in Gastroenterology, certain types of fiber can cause inflammation ...
Bacterial Histamine Linked to Abdominal Pain in IBS
Scientists from McMaster University and Queen’s University, both in Ontario, Canada, have identified a gut bacterial ‘super-producer’ of histamine that can trigger pain flare-ups in some irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients. The offender has been named Klebsiella aerogenes, the McMaster-Queen (MQ) strain, ...
Which Diet Is Best for IBS?
Three popular IBS diets went head-to-head in a recent British study from Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology — low-FODMAP (LFD), gluten-free (GFD), and traditional dietary advice (TDA). Researchers were surprised to discover that all three eating plans reduced symptoms by roughly 50% among ...
Leaky Gut and IBS: Is There a Connection?
Leaky gut syndrome might sound like something from a science fiction movie, but it’s a real condition that affects your digestive tract. Leaky gut is another term for intestinal permeability. It’s known to play a role in IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) symptoms ...
What to Eat When You Have IBS or Digestive Issues
We’ve all heard the expression, “You are what you eat.” A healthy diet is one of the pillars of good health. The right foods help every part of your body to work better. They can also make you feel better, and that ...
IBS and Dysbiosis: It’s Time to Tend Your Garden
Your gut is home to an estimated 100 trillion microorganisms. They include bacteria, fungi, viruses, protozoans, amoebas, and their genetic information. Collectively this is known as your microbiome, a type of ecosystem — much like a rainforest with trillions of living creatures. ...
5 Effective Strategies for a Healthier Gut with IBS
Living with digestive challenges due to IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) can significantly impact your quality of life. Over-the-counter solutions like antacids, laxatives, and anti-diarrhea medicines may help relieve symptoms for a time, but they’re a temporary fix. They won’t address the root ...
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