Medical Bulletin 02/June/2026

Here are the top medical news for today:

Researchers Discover Surprising Brain Changes Linked to Intermittent Fasting

Weight loss may not begin in the stomach alone—it could start with a conversation between the gut and the brain.

A growing body of research suggests that successful weight loss involves far more than cutting calories. Scientists have found that intermittent energy restriction (IER), a dietary approach that alternates periods of reduced calorie intake with normal eating, may reshape both the gut microbiome and brain activity in ways that influence hunger, cravings, and food choices.

In a 2023 study, researchers from the PLA General Hospital in Beijing followed 25 adults with obesity through a structured intermittent fasting program lasting about two months. Participants gradually reduced their calorie intake and ultimately lost an average of 7.6 kilograms, or nearly 8% of their body weight. Alongside weight loss, they showed improvements in blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol levels, and markers of liver health.

What made the findings particularly intriguing was what happened inside the body. Brain scans revealed reduced activity in regions associated with appetite, reward, addiction-like eating behaviors, and impulse control. At the same time, the composition of the gut microbiome shifted significantly. Beneficial bacteria increased, while potentially harmful microbes declined.

Researchers also found links between specific gut bacteria and activity in brain regions involved in decision-making, attention, learning, and self-control. These findings suggest that as people lose weight, the gut and brain may adapt together, potentially helping regulate eating behavior.

Scientists believe this reflects the "gut-brain axis," a two-way communication network in which gut microbes produce compounds that can influence the nervous system, while the brain helps regulate appetite and food intake.

Although the study cannot prove whether gut changes drive brain changes or vice versa, it highlights the complexity of obesity. Weight management may not be solely about willpower or calorie counting. Instead, it may depend on coordinated biological changes involving the gut, brain, metabolism, and hormones.

REFERENCE: Jing Zhou, Xiaoling Wu, Tianyuan Xiang, Fei Liu, Hui Gao, Li Tong, Bin Yan, Zhonglin Li, Chi Zhang, Linyuan Wang, Lei Ou, Zhongxia Li, Wen Wang, Tingting Yang, Fengyun Li, Huimin Ma, Xiaojuan Zhao, Na Mi, Ziya Yu, Canhui Lan, Qi Wang, Hao Li, Liming Wang, Xiaoning Wang, Yongli Li, Qiang Zeng. Dynamical alterations of brain function and gut microbiome in weight loss. Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, 2023; 13 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1269548

Omega-3 Supplements Show Potential Benefits Against Type 2 Diabetes: Study

A common kitchen supplement may be doing far more than protecting the heart. New research suggests fish oil could also help reverse insulin resistance, even in people with type 2 diabetes who are not obese.

In a study published in Nutrients, researchers from Brazil found that omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil improved blood sugar control and reduced insulin resistance in a special strain of diabetic rats that develop type 2 diabetes without obesity. The findings highlight inflammation as a key driver of diabetes, even when excess body weight is not present.

The research focused on Goto-Kakizaki rats, a widely used model for non-obese type 2 diabetes. After receiving fish oil supplements rich in EPA and DHA for eight weeks, the animals showed better glucose tolerance, lower insulin resistance, reduced inflammatory markers, and healthier cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

Scientists discovered that the benefits were linked to changes in the immune system. Diabetes is increasingly viewed not only as a metabolic disorder but also as an inflammatory condition. In the untreated rats, immune cells called lymphocytes produced higher levels of inflammation-promoting signals. Fish oil appeared to reverse this pattern, reducing inflammatory immune cells while increasing regulatory T-cells, which help calm inflammation.

Researchers believe this immune shift may have improved the body's ability to respond to insulin. By lowering chronic inflammation, omega-3 fatty acids helped restore healthier glucose regulation despite the absence of obesity.

The findings are particularly important because an estimated 10–20% of people with type 2 diabetes worldwide are not obese. Their disease may develop through different biological pathways than obesity-related diabetes, making targeted treatments especially valuable.

Experts caution that the current study was conducted in animals, not humans, and more research is needed to determine the ideal dosage and effectiveness in patients. Still, the findings provide another clue that controlling inflammation may be a powerful strategy in tackling diabetes—and that fish oil could become part of that conversation.

REFERENCE: Tiago Bertola Lobato, Elvirah Samantha de Sousa Santos, et al.; Omega-3 Fatty Acids Weaken Lymphocyte Inflammatory Features and Improve Glycemic Control in Nonobese Diabetic Goto-Kakizaki Rats. Nutrients, 2024; 16 (23): 4106 DOI: 10.3390/nu16234106

Tomato-Soy Drink Shows Anti-Inflammatory Benefits in Adults with Obesity: Study

A simple juice made from tomatoes and soybeans may help calm one of the body's most dangerous hidden threats: chronic inflammation.

Researchers from The Ohio State University have found that a tomato-soy juice rich in lycopene and soy isoflavones significantly reduced key markers of inflammation in adults with obesity after just four weeks of daily consumption. The findings, published in Molecular Nutrition & Food Research, suggest that certain foods may do more than provide nutrition—they could actively help regulate inflammation linked to chronic diseases.

The study involved 12 healthy adults with obesity who drank two six-ounce cans of the specially formulated tomato-soy juice every day for four weeks. After a washout period, participants consumed a control tomato juice that contained much lower levels of lycopene and no added soy isoflavones.

The results were striking. Only the tomato-soy juice led to significant reductions in three inflammatory proteins—Interleukin-5, Interleukin-12p70, and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor. Researchers also observed a downward trend in tumor necrosis factor-alpha, another major inflammation marker, though the reduction was not statistically significant.

Lycopene, the antioxidant pigment that gives tomatoes their red color, and soy isoflavones, plant compounds that mimic some effects of estrogen, have long been studied for their potential health benefits. Previous research has linked diets rich in tomatoes and soy to lower risks of prostate cancer, metabolic disorders, and inflammation-related diseases.

Chronic inflammation is increasingly recognized as a driver of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and digestive disorders. Encouraged by the results, the research team has already launched a new clinical trial to investigate whether the same tomato-soy juice can help patients with chronic pancreatitis, a painful inflammatory disease of the pancreas.

While larger studies are still needed, the findings highlight a promising idea: everyday foods may become powerful tools for managing inflammation and supporting long-term health.

REFERENCE: Sholola, M. J., et al. (2026). Tomato‐Soy Juice Reduces Inflammation and Modulates the Urinary Metabolome in Adults With Obesity. Molecular Nutrition & Food Research. DOI: 10.1002/mnfr.70420. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/mnfr.70420