Category: Human Microbiome
Are we more bacteria than human? That depends when you last pooped
For decades, the notion that bacteria living on our bodies outnumbered human cells 10 to 1 was popular among microbiologists and the public. Turns out, this estimation is wrong.
In 2016, Ron Sender, Shai Fuchs, and Ron Milo from the Weizmann Institute examined the origins of this estimation and found that the ratio is actually closer to 1:1. (more…)
Seaweed and the Gut Microbiome: You are What You Eat
Our intestine is home to three pounds of bacteria. We feed them and they feed us. They help us break down proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates from our food into nutrients that we can then absorb. Without them, we would not reap the benefits of the many foods we consume.
As an example, gut microbes contain genes that code for enzymes which break down plant polysaccharides we can then digest. Without our gut microbes, we would not be able to obtain nutrients from these carbohydrates. But where did our gut microbes get these genes in the first place? (more…)
Donating Your Poop for Science – Microbiome Studies
By Kanika Khanna
In this journey called life, we are not alone. We are inhabited by around 39 trillion microbial cells that account for ~57% of all cells in our body, making us half human and half microbes. This consortium of microbial species (including bacteria, fungi, viruses, and archaea) is referred to as the ‘human microbiome’ and the gut is home to more microbes than any other body part. Microbes present in the gut (and hence our poop) contribute to our health in a variety of ways including metabolism and immunity. (more…)
Our early life microbiome may be more resilient than once believed
"We are inhabited by as many as ten thousand bacterial species... Together, they are referred to as our microbiome -- and they play such a crucial role in our lives that scientists like Blaser have begun to reconsider what it means to be human.” ― Michael Specter
A couple weeks ago, I attended the Boston Bacterial Meeting where Martin Blaser gave the keynote address. Dr. Blaser, a physician and a microbiologist, studies the complex and often puzzling interactions between our bodies and our microbiome (the collection of microbes living on or in our bodies). (more…)