Gemelli scientists link ultra-processed foods to gut microbiota destruction

Scientists from the Gemelli University Hospital Foundation and the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart have published research in ‘Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology’ regarding the role of the gut microbiota in chronic disease. The study, led by professors Antonio Gasbarrini, Gianluca Ianiro, and Giovanni Gasbarrini, suggests that the intestinal microbiota can anticipate the onset of chronic illnesses years or even decades before clinical symptoms appear.

The researchers identify ‘meta-inflammation’—a silent, chronic inflammatory state—as the mechanism that progressively erodes the metabolism, immune system, and nervous system. They point to ultra-processed industrial foods, high salt, sugar, and additives as the primary drivers destroying the human biological ecosystem.

To combat this, the team proposes several strategies, including the potential implementation of taxes on food additives with documented dysbiotic potential, to protect public health from the 43 million annual deaths attributed to chronic diseases.