Intestinal bacteria could safeguard against type 1 diabetes

A new study has found that the good bacteria in our lower intestine may help protect us from type 1 diabetes .
It has long been established that ‘friendly’ intestinal flora aids human digestion and help ward off infections by stopping the ‘bad guys’ such as Salmonella taking hold.
But now researchers in Canada and Switzerland have revealed that it may also reduce the risk of developing type 1 diabetes.
The teams, led by Jayne Danska, from the Sick Children’s Hospital, University of Toronto, and Andrew Macpherson in the Clinic for Visceral Surgery and Medicine, University of Ber, discovered that intestinal bacteria in mice, especially male mice, can produce biochemicals and hormones that stop the onset of this autoimmune disease.
The scientists said their findings could lead to the development of new treatments for people, particularly children, who are at increased risk of type 1 diabetes .
“We hope that our new understanding of how intestinal bacteria may protect susceptible children from diabetes will allow us to start to develop new treatments to stop children getting the disease,” said Macpherson in a statement.