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MINDD Foundation promotes an integrative approach to healthcare for the whole family with a focus on Functional Medicine, nutrition, neuro-development and allied therapies.

04/11/2026

Micronutrient deficiencies are widespread in autoimmune diseases and may contribute to greater inflammation and immune dysfunction.

A narrative review examining the relationship between nutrition and autoimmunity found that deficiencies in vitamin D, folate, vitamin B12 and iron are common across autoimmune conditions.
Vitamin D emerged as a particularly important immunomodulator, with low levels consistently associated with more active disease in conditions including thyroid autoimmunity, multiple sclerosis, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, spondyloarthritis and systemic sclerosis.

The review also highlights a two-way relationship: nutrient deficiencies may disrupt immune regulation, while chronic inflammation, gastrointestinal involvement and some medications can further impair nutrient status.

Researchers are increasingly investigating nutritional strategies including anti-inflammatory dietary patterns, omega-3 fatty acids, targeted micronutrient supplementation and microbiome-focused approaches such as prebiotics and probiotics.

The findings highlight nutrition as an important consideration in supporting immune regulation alongside established autoimmune disease care.

🔗 Read the full article: https://mindd.org/research/10-3390-nu18040561/

03/11/2026

Psychotropic medications can affect much more than the brain, with research highlighting their potential effects on metabolic health.

A narrative review explored how medications used to treat severe psychiatric conditions can contribute to insulin resistance and cardiometabolic risk.

While these medications are essential treatments, they can be associated with metabolic effects including weight gain, impaired glucose and lipid metabolism, and hypertension.

The review identifies several potential mechanisms, including impaired mitochondrial energy production, oxidative stress, chronic low-grade inflammation and changes to appetite-regulating neurotransmitter pathways.

Researchers also highlight the gut-brain-metabolic axis. Psychotropic medications may alter the gut microbiome and intestinal barrier, potentially contributing to inflammation and disrupted glucose and lipid metabolism.

These findings reinforce the importance of monitoring metabolic health in people taking psychotropic medications so emerging risks can be identified and addressed early.

🔗 Read the full article here: https://mindd.org/research/10-3389-fnut-2026-1778794/

31/10/2026

What connects type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease? Research increasingly points to shared biological features—particularly insulin resistance and inflammation.

A review examining the relationship between the two conditions found that several large meta-analyses have reported higher rates of cognitive impairment and dementia among people with diabetes, with some estimates indicating up to a 60% increased risk.

Insulin plays an important role in neuronal health, leading researchers to investigate whether impaired insulin signalling could help explain some of the overlap between metabolic dysfunction and neurodegeneration.

This has led to the informal term “type 3 diabetes” being used in some research discussions around Alzheimer’s disease — although it is not a formally recognised medical diagnosis.

The relationship is complex, and the strength of the association varies across different forms of dementia. However, the shared roles of insulin resistance and inflammation highlight an important area for continued research.

🔗 Read the full article on our site: https://mindd.org/research/10-3390-ijms252211955/

Share this research with someone who may find it interesting.

29/10/2026

🧠 Higher ultra-processed food intake in early childhood was associated with smaller volumes in several regions of the developing brain.

A prospective birth cohort study examined children’s ultra-processed food (UPF) intake from six months to six years of age, alongside measures of cognitive performance and brain health.
While researchers found no relationship between UPF intake and cognitive performance at ages two or six, they did identify differences in brain structure.

Higher cumulative UPF consumption was associated with smaller volumes across several subcortical brain regions, with every 10% increase in UPF intake corresponding to approximately a 2% reduction in total subcortical volume.

The findings are particularly relevant because infancy and early childhood represent critical periods of brain development, while ultra-processed foods now make up a substantial proportion of energy intake among young children.

The researchers highlight early nutrition as a potentially important protective factor for neurodevelopment.

🔗 Read the full article here: https://mindd.org/research/10-1016-j-ajcnut-2026-101350/

27/10/2026

The effects of antibiotics on the gut microbiome can persist for weeks, months, and in some cases, even years.

A narrative review examined how antibiotic use can alter the gut microbiota across different stages of life.

Antibiotics target harmful bacteria, but they can also reduce beneficial microbes and overall microbial diversity. This disruption, known as dysbiosis, can affect immune function, metabolism and the ability of pathogenic or antibiotic-resistant species to establish themselves.

The review found that these effects can differ throughout the lifespan. Antibiotic exposure during pregnancy and infancy may alter the developing microbiome, while in adults some microbial changes can remain long after a course of antibiotics has ended.
Antibiotic-induced changes may also affect bile acid metabolism, short-chain fatty acid production and other pathways involved in insulin sensitivity, weight regulation and susceptibility to infection.

The researchers also discuss probiotics and prebiotics as potential strategies for supporting microbial recovery, while highlighting the need to better understand how to protect the microbiome alongside appropriate antibiotic use.

🔗 Read the full article here: https://mindd.org/research/10-1016-j-medmic-2024-100106/

Were you aware that antibiotics could affect the gut microbiome long after treatment ends? Let us know below or share this research with someone who may find it useful.

22/10/2026

Can a structured mindfulness program reduce anxiety as effectively as medication?

A randomised clinical trial comparing mindfulness-based stress reduction with escitalopram, a commonly prescribed anxiety medication, found that both treatments produced meaningful reductions in anxiety symptoms.

Adults diagnosed with anxiety disorders were randomly assigned to either an eight-week mindfulness-based stress reduction program or escitalopram, with their anxiety severity assessed by blinded evaluators.

The mindfulness intervention was found to be as effective as escitalopram in reducing anxiety severity. There was also a notable difference in adverse events: these were considerably more common among participants taking medication. A small proportion discontinued escitalopram because of side effects, while no participants in the mindfulness group withdrew for this reason.

The findings suggest that a standardised mindfulness-based intervention may offer a viable treatment option for people with anxiety disorders.

🔗 Read the full article here: https://mindd.org/research/10-1001-jamapsychiatry-2022-3679/

20/10/2026

Higher consumption of ultra-processed foods may be associated with an increased risk of developing multiple chronic diseases.

A large prospective study followed more than 266,000 adults who were initially free of cancer, cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes to investigate whether ultra-processed food consumption predicted the development of multimorbidity.

Over an average 11.2 years of follow-up, higher consumption of ultra-processed foods was associated with an increased risk of developing multimorbidity involving cancer and cardiometabolic disease.

The strongest associations were observed for animal-based ultra-processed products and sweetened beverages.

With ultra-processed foods accounting for more than half of daily energy intake in some populations, the findings highlight diet quality as a potentially modifiable factor in reducing the combined burden of chronic disease.

🔗 Read the full article here: https://mindd.org/research/10-1016-j-lanepe-2023-100771/

Has the growing research on ultra-processed foods changed the way you think about food choices? Let us know below.

18/10/2026

💊 The effects of some medications on the gut microbiome may persist long after they are taken.

A study of more than 2,500 adults found that previous medication use was consistently associated with differences in gut microbial composition — suggesting our medication history may help shape the microbiome we have today.

Long-term effects were detected across several commonly used drug classes, including antibiotics, antidepressants, psycholeptics, proton pump inhibitors and beta-blockers.

Researchers also found stronger associations among people with greater cumulative medication exposure, suggesting repeated or prolonged use may have a greater influence on gut microbial ecology.

While the study was observational and cannot establish cause and effect, the findings add to growing evidence that the gut microbiome may reflect not only current medication use, diet and lifestyle, but past exposures too.

🔗 Read the full article here: https://mindd.org/research/10-1128-msystems-00541-25/

16/10/2026

🧠 Could nutrition play a greater role in neurodevelopmental conditions than previously recognised?

A new narrative review examining autism, ADHD, Down syndrome, intellectual disability and epilepsy highlights the close relationship between nutritional status and symptoms associated with these conditions.

Researchers found that nutrient deficiencies, selective eating, gastrointestinal issues and metabolic differences are common across neurodevelopmental conditions. The review also identified evidence of benefits from specific nutritional interventions, including:
• Vitamin D supplementation in autism, associated with reduced inflammatory markers and behavioural improvements
• Vitamin D combined with magnesium in ADHD, associated with improved behaviour
• Ketogenic diets in epilepsy, consistently associated with reduced seizures
• Combined vitamin D, DHA and L-carnosine supplementation in Down syndrome, associated with gains in communication and motor development

Deficiencies in nutrients including vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids, iron, zinc and magnesium may also contribute to neuroinflammation and oxidative stress.

The researchers conclude that nutrition is an important component of neurodevelopmental health and call for greater research into nutrition-based approaches.

🔗 Read the full article here: https://mindd.org/research/10-1007-s44187-026-00804-4/

14/10/2026

🧠 Alzheimer’s disease can begin developing decades before symptoms appear — raising an important question: can we intervene earlier?

A clinical framework paper describes how two Alzheimer’s Prevention Clinics are using personalised, precision-medicine approaches to identify and address risk well before dementia develops.

Each patient undergoes a detailed assessment incorporating medical history, lifestyle and genetic factors. Rather than following a single standardised program, interventions are tailored to the individual and may include nutrition counselling, physical activity, supplements and management of metabolic or vascular conditions.
This approach reflects growing evidence that many Alzheimer’s risk factors are modifiable. Hypertension, insulin resistance and physical inactivity can contribute to pathways implicated in Alzheimer’s disease, including inflammation, glucose dysregulation and amyloid accumulation.

Early observations from the clinics suggest patients can engage successfully with long-term preventive care and show measurable improvements in cognition and Alzheimer’s-related biomarkers.

The authors now propose larger, multi-site research to determine the effectiveness of personalised Alzheimer’s prevention strategies.

🔗 Read the full article: https://mindd.org/research/10-1016-j-jalz-2018-08-004/

Should personalised Alzheimer’s risk assessment become a greater part of preventive healthcare? Share your thoughts below.

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