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Gut health could benefit from consuming crickets - study
Deep-fried insects at a stall in Bangkok, Thailand. Image © Takoradee (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Research explores human health effects from eating insects

Eating crickets could benefit human gut health and reduce inflammation in the body, according to a new study.

Over two billion people worldwide regularly consume insects, but there has been little research on the health effects.

In a small pilot study, researchers took blood and stool samples from 20 healthy men and women, after they had eaten either a control breakfast or one containing 25g of cricket meal for periods of two weeks.

Findings published in the journal Scientific Reports suggest that, after eating the cricket diet, participants had increased levels of a metabolic enzyme associated with gut health. Meanwhile, there was a decrease in TNF-alpha, an inflammatory protein in the blood that has been linked with other measures of wellbeing such as depression and cancer.

There was also an abundance in beneficial gut bacteria such as Bifidobacterium animalis - a strain that is associated with improved gastrointestinal function and other health measures.

Researchers say further, larger studies are needed to replicate these findings and shed more light on how crickets may contribute to gut health.

Lead author Valerie Stull commented: “This study is important because insects represent a novel component in Western diets and their health effects in human populations haven’t really been studied.

“With what we now know about the gut microbiota and its relationship to human health, it’s important to establish how a novel food might affect gut microbial populations. We found that cricket consumption may actually offer benefits beyond nutrition.”

She added: “This very small study shows that this is something worth looking at in the future when promoting insects as a sustainable food source.”

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Vets to run marathon for World Animal Protection

News Story 1
 Two recently graduated veterinary surgeons will be running the London Marathon in April to raise money for the charity World Animal Protection.

Alex Bartlett and Maeve O'Neill plan to run the race together if they are given the same start times.

Dr O'Neill said: "You're always limited in what you can do to help animals, so it is nice to raise money for a charity that helps animals around the world."

Dr Bartlett added: "I have never run a marathon before and am excited to run my first one for such a good cause!"

Both Dr Bartlett and Dr O'Neill have fundraising pages online. 

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News Shorts
BSAVA releases new Guide to Procedures

The British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) has published a new edition of its Guide to Procedures for Small Animal Practice.

It has added four new procedures; cystostomy tube placement, endotracheal intubation, point-of-care ultrasound and wet-to-dry dressings.

BSAVA says that it is an essential step-by-step guide to diagnostic and therapeutic procedures performed in practice. The textbook includes new images and illustrations, as well as high-definition videos for use prior to procedures.

Nick Bexfield and Julia Riggs, editors of the new edition, said: "We have built upon the success of the previous editions by responding to the feedback received from the BSAVA readership, and hope this new guide helps to further increase the confidence and accuracy with which these procedures are performed."

Print copies are available in the BSAVA store, with a digital version in the BSAVA library.