Nickel exposure usually presents as allergic contact dermatitis. However, Nickel not only causes dermatitis, but excess dietary Nickel is believed to be responsible for overweight, metabolic disorders, and microbiota imbalances.
A recent study investigated the correlation between nickel accumulation and alterations in the microbiota
- The researchers collected stool samples from 11 lean women (BMI 25) who were allergic to nickel.
- Fecal cultures were supplemented with increasing concentrations of nickel sulfate (NiSO4) from 0.1 mM up to 50 mM under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions.
- In control subjects, microbial growth stopped at NiSO4 5 mM concentration. In contrast, in nickel-allergic subjects, gut bacteria continued to grow at concentrations above 5 mM. Notably, nickel-resistant bacteria that could tolerate 32 mM NiSO4 were detected in 29% of overweight allergic females
- As nickel concentration increased, allergic women, particularly those with increased BMI, showed a decrease in Enterobacteriaceae along with an increased presence of Lactobacillaceae, Bacillaceae, and Clostridiaceae compared with controls
- Thus, overweight women with nickel allergy harbor highly nickel-resistant gut microbes. It is possible that some strains of lactobacilli use dietary ingested Nickel to protect the body from the toxic potential of Nickel.
- It is already known that lactic acid-producing bacteria bind to toxic substances, such as aflatoxin B1 and the foodborne mutagen Trp-P-2, thus reducing their intestinal absorption
Do you have a nickel allergy and want to find out how microbiota testing can benefit you combined with a gut rebalancing pathway? Chat or email me at info@disbiosidoctor.com