The link between gut microbiota and the development of colorectal cancer has been investigated. An imbalance in the gut microbiota promotes the progress of colorectal carcinogenesis via multiple mechanisms, including inflammation, activation of carcinogens, and tumorigenic pathways as well as damaging host DNA. Several therapeutic methods are available with which to alter the composition and the activity of gut microbiota, such as administration of prebiotics, probiotics, and synbiotics; these can confer various benefits for colorectal cancer patients. Nowadays, fecal microbiota transplantation is the most modern way of modulating the gut microbiota. Even though data regarding fecal microbiota transplantation in colorectal cancer patients are still rather limited, it has been approved as a clinical method of treatment-recurrent Clostridium difficile infection, which may also occur in these patients. The major benefits of fecal microbiota transplantation include modulation of immunotherapy efficacy, amelioration of bile acid metabolism, and restoration of intestinal microbial diversity. Nonetheless, more studies are needed to assess the long-term effects of fecal microbiota transplantation. In this review, the impact of gut microbiota on the efficiency of anti-cancer therapy and colorectal cancer patients’ overall survival is also discussed.

Excessive training may limit physiological muscle adaptation through chronic oxidative stress and inflammation. Improper diet and overtraining may also disrupt intestinal homeostasis and in consequence enhance inflammation. Altogether, these factors may lead to an imbalance in the gut ecosystem, causing dysregulation of the immune system. Therefore, it seems to be important to optimize the intestinal microbiota composition, which is able to modulate the immune system and reduce oxidative stress. Moreover, the optimal intestinal microbiota composition may have an impact on muscle protein synthesis and mitochondrial biogenesis and function, as well as muscle glycogen storage. Aproperly balanced microbiome may also reduce inflammatory markers and reactive oxygen species production, which may further attenuate macromolecules damage. Consequently, supplementation with probiotics may have some beneficial effect on aerobic and anaerobic performance. The phenomenon of gut-muscle axis should be continuously explored to function maintenance, not only in athletes.

The yeast Saccharomyces boulardii CNCM I-745 is a unique, non-bacterial microorganism classified as a probiotic agent. In this review article, at first, we briefly summarized the mechanisms responsible for its probiotic properties, e.g. adhesion to and elimination of enteropathogenic microorganisms and their toxins; extracellular cleavage of pathogens’ virulent factors; trophic and anti-inflammatory effects on the intestinal mucosa. The efficacy of S. boulardii administration was tested in variety of human diseases. We discussed the results of S. boulardii CNCM I-745 use in the treatment or prevention of Helicobacter pylori infections, diarrhoea (Clostridium difficile infections, antibiotic-associated diarrhoea, and traveller’s diarrhoea), inflammatory bowel diseases, irritable bowel syndrome, candidiasis, dyslipidemia, and small intestine bacterial overgrowth in patients with multiple sclerosis. In case of limited number of studies regarding this strain, we also presented studies demonstrating properties and efficacy of other strains of S. boulardii. Administration of S. boulardii CNCMI I-745 during antibiotic therapy has certain advantage over bacterial probiotics, because—due to its fungal natural properties—it is intrinsically resistant to the antibiotics and cannot promote the spread of antimicrobial resistance. Even though cases of fungemia following S. boulardii CNCM I-745 administration were reported, it should be treated as a widely available and safe probiotic strain.

The association between bacterial as well as viral gut microbiota imbalance and carcinogenesis has been intensively analysed in many studies; nevertheless, the role of fungal gut microbiota (mycobiota) in colorectal, oral, and pancreatic cancer development is relatively new and undiscovered field due to low abundance of intestinal fungi as well as lack of well-characterized reference genomes. Several specific fungi amounts are increased in colorectal cancer patients; moreover, it was observed that the disease stage is strongly related to the fungal microbiota profile; thus, it may be used as a potential diagnostic biomarker for adenomas. Candida albicans, which is the major microbe contributing to oral cancer development, may promote carcinogenesis via several mechanisms, mainly triggering inflammation. Early detection of pancreatic cancer provides the opportunity to improve survival rate, therefore, there is a need to conduct further studies regarding the role of fungal microbiota as a potential prognostic tool to diagnose this cancer at early stage. Additionally, growing attention towards the characterization of mycobiota may contribute to improve the efficiency of therapeutic methods used to alter the composition and activity of gut microbiota. The administration of Saccharomyces boulardii in oncology, mainly in immunocompromised and/or critically ill patients, is still controversial.

The epidemic that broke out in Chinese Wuhan at the beginning of 2020 presented how important the rapid diagnosis of malnutrition (elevating during intensive care unit stay) and the immediate implementation of caloric and protein-balanced nutrition care are. According to specialists from the Chinese Medical Association for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (CSPEN), these activities are crucial for both the therapy success and reduction of mortality rates. The Chinese have published their recommendations including principles for the diagnosis of nutritional status along with the optimal method for nutrition supply including guidelines when to introduce education approach, oral nutritional supplement, tube feeding, and parenteral nutrition. They also calculated energy demand and gave their opinion on proper monitoring and supplementation of immuno-nutrients, fluids and macronutrients intake. The present review summarizes Chinese observations and compares these with the latest European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism guidelines. Nutritional approach should be an inseparable element of therapy in patients with COVID-19.

Background and aim: Preoperative fasting leads to metabolic stress and causes insulin resistance in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of preoperative oral carbohydrate loading (OCH) on outcome in patients undergoing planned cardiac surgery by systematically reviewing the literature and synthesizing evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Methods: Systematic search of PubMed/MEDLINE/Embase/Cinahl/Web of Science/ClinicalTrials databases was performed to identify relevant RCTs from databased inception until 05/03/2020. We included studies that compared outcome measures between OCH with control (placebo or standard starvation). We conducted a random-effect meta-analysis of clinical and biochemical parameters. Results: Nine studies (N = 9) were included with a total of 507 patients. OCH significantly decreased aortic clamping duration (n = 151, standardized mean difference (SMD) = −0.28, 95% confidence interval (CI) = −0.521 to −0.038, p = 0.023 and differences in means (DM) = −6.388, 95%CI = −11.246 to −1.529, p = 0.010). Patients from treatment groups had shorter intensive care unit (ICU) stay (n = 202, SMD = −0.542, 95%CI = −0.789 to −0.295, p < 0.001 and DM = −25.925, 95%CI = −44.568 to −7.283, p = 0.006) and required fewer units of insulin postoperatively (n = 85, SMD = −0.349, 95%CI = −0.653 to −0.044, p = 0.025 and DM = −4.523, 95%CI = −8.417 to −0.630, p = 0.023). The necessity to use inotropic drugs was significantly lower in the OCH group (risk ratio (RR) = 0.795, 95%CI = 0.689 to 0.919, p = 0.002). All other primary outcomes did not reveal a significant effect. Conclusions: Preoperative OCH in patients undergoing cardiac surgery demonstrated a 20% reduction in the use of inotropic drugs, a 50% reduction of the length of ICU stay, a 28% decrease in aortic clamping duration and a 35% decrease of postoperative insulin requirement.