Mark D. Haub

Bio: Mark D. Haub is an academic researcher from Kansas State University. The author has contributed to research in topics: Postprandial & Resistant starch. The author has an hindex of 23, co-authored 72 publications receiving 2755 citations. Previous affiliations of Mark D. Haub include Rush University Medical Center & University of Kansas.

Effects of dietary fiber and its components on metabolic health.

Abstract: Dietary fiber and whole grains contain a unique blend of bioactive components including resistant starches, vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and antioxidants. As a result, research regarding their potential health benefits has received considerable attention in the last several decades. Epidemiological and clinical studies demonstrate that intake of dietary fiber and whole grain is inversely related to obesity, type two diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Defining dietary fiber is a divergent process and is dependent on both nutrition and analytical concepts. The most common and accepted definition is based on nutritional physiology. Generally speaking, dietary fiber is the edible parts of plants, or similar carbohydrates, that are resistant to digestion and absorption in the small intestine. Dietary fiber can be separated into many different fractions. Recent research has begun to isolate these components and determine if increasing their levels in a diet is beneficial to human health. These fractions include arabinoxylan, inulin, pectin, bran, cellulose, β-glucan and resistant starch. The study of these components may give us a better understanding of how and why dietary fiber may decrease the risk for certain diseases. The mechanisms behind the reported effects of dietary fiber on metabolic health are not well established. It is speculated to be a result of changes in intestinal viscosity, nutrient absorption, rate of passage, production of short chain fatty acids and production of gut hormones. Given the inconsistencies reported between studies this review will examine the most up to date data concerning dietary fiber and its effects on metabolic health.

Gut microbiome composition is linked to whole grain-induced immunological improvements

Abstract: The involvement of the gut microbiota in metabolic disorders, and the ability of whole grains to affect both host metabolism and gut microbial ecology, suggest that some benefits of whole grains are mediated through their effects on the gut microbiome. Nutritional studies that assess the effect of whole grains on both the gut microbiome and human physiology are needed. We conducted a randomized cross-over trial with four-week treatments in which 28 healthy humans consumed a daily dose of 60 g of whole-grain barley (WGB), brown rice (BR), or an equal mixture of the two (BR+WGB), and characterized their impact on fecal microbial ecology and blood markers of inflammation, glucose and lipid metabolism. All treatments increased microbial diversity, the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio, and the abundance of the genus Blautia in fecal samples. The inclusion of WGB enriched the genera Roseburia, Bifidobacterium and Dialister, and the species Eubacterium rectale, Roseburia faecis and Roseburia intestinalis. Whole grains, and especially the BR+WGB treatment, reduced plasma interleukin-6 (IL-6) and peak postprandial glucose. Shifts in the abundance of Eubacterium rectale were associated with changes in the glucose and insulin postprandial response. Interestingly, subjects with greater improvements in IL-6 levels harbored significantly higher proportions of Dialister and lower abundance of Coriobacteriaceae. In conclusion, this study revealed that a short-term intake of whole grains induced compositional alterations of the gut microbiota that coincided with improvements in host physiological measures related to metabolic dysfunctions in humans.

Muscle Power and Fiber Characteristics Following 8 Weeks of Plyometric Training

Abstract: We examined changes in muscle power output and fiber characteristics following a 3 d*wkr−1, 8-week plyometric and aerobic exercise program. Male subjects (n = 19) were randomly assigned to either group 1 (plyometric training) or group 2 (plyometric training and aerobic exercise). The plyomet

Iron Deficiency Negatively Affects Vertebrae and Femurs of Rats Independently of Energy Intake and Body Weight

Abstract: The question of whether iron deficiency has direct adverse effects on vertebral trabecular bone and long bones was answered by this study. Four groups of female weanling rats were fed for 5 wk diets that were 1) control; 2) calcium restricted, 1.0 g Ca/kg diet; 3) iron deficient, <8 mg Fe/kg diet; or 4) control, pair-fed to the iron-deficient group. Whole body and femur DEXA analysis revealed that calcium-restricted and iron-deficient rats had lower bone mineral density (BMD) and content (BMC) than pair-fed and control rats. However, pair-fed rats also had decreased BMD and BMC compared to control rats. The third lumbar trabecular bone microarchitecture in both diet-restricted groups had decreased bone volume fraction (BV/TV) and trabecular number and thickness, a less favorable structural model index, and increased trabecular separation compared with the controls and the pair-fed groups as determined by microcomputer tomography. The control and pair-fed groups did not differ from one another, suggesting that iron deficiency and calcium restriction affected vertebrae independently of food intake and body weight. Finite element analysis revealed lower force to compress the vertebrae and lower stiffness but greater von Mises stress in calcium-restricted and iron-deficient groups compared to the control and pair-fed groups. Urinary deoxypyridinium crosslinks, serum osteocalcin, and cholcalciferol were increased in calcium-restricted rats compared to the other 3 groups. Using micro-CT imaging technology, this study demonstrated microarchitectural pathology due to iron deficiency upon vertebral trabecular bone compared to the control and pair-fed rats, although not to the same extent as severe calcium restriction.

The Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis

Abstract: The importance of the gut-brain axis in maintaining homeostasis has long been appreciated. However, the past 15 yr have seen the emergence of the microbiota (the trillions of microorganisms within ...

Influence of diet on the gut microbiome and implications for human health.

Abstract: Recent studies have suggested that the intestinal microbiome plays an important role in modulating risk of several chronic diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. At the same time, it is now understood that diet plays a significant role in shaping the microbiome, with experiments showing that dietary alterations can induce large, temporary microbial shifts within 24 h. Given this association, there may be significant therapeutic utility in altering microbial composition through diet. This review systematically evaluates current data regarding the effects of several common dietary components on intestinal microbiota. We show that consumption of particular types of food produces predictable shifts in existing host bacterial genera. Furthermore, the identity of these bacteria affects host immune and metabolic parameters, with broad implications for human health. Familiarity with these associations will be of tremendous use to the practitioner as well as the patient.

Interaction between microbiota and immunity in health and disease

Abstract: The interplay between the commensal microbiota and the mammalian immune system development and function includes multifold interactions in homeostasis and disease. The microbiome plays critical roles in the training and development of major components of the host’s innate and adaptive immune system, while the immune system orchestrates the maintenance of key features of host-microbe symbiosis. In a genetically susceptible host, imbalances in microbiota-immunity interactions under defined environmental contexts are believed to contribute to the pathogenesis of a multitude of immune-mediated disorders. Here, we review features of microbiome-immunity crosstalk and their roles in health and disease, while providing examples of molecular mechanisms orchestrating these interactions in the intestine and extra-intestinal organs. We highlight aspects of the current knowledge, challenges and limitations in achieving causal understanding of host immune-microbiome interactions, as well as their impact on immune-mediated diseases, and discuss how these insights may translate towards future development of microbiome-targeted therapeutic interventions.