Forums

Within the body of a healthy adult, microbial cells are estimated to outnumber human cells by a factor of ten to one. These communities, however, remain largely unstudied, leaving almost entirely unknown their influence upon human development, physiology, immunity, and nutrition. Recently there was a feature article about this in the New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/19/magazine/say-hello-to-the-100-trillion-bacteria-that-make-up-your-microbiome.html?pagewanted=all In this piece reference is made to the America Gut Project http://humanfoodproject.com/americangut/ If you are brave and willing to donate $99 to the project you too can have your microbiome mapped Here are some more interesting bits http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/26/science/breast-milk-promotes-healthy-gut-bacteria-in-babies-study-says.html http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/28/health/studies-focus-on-gut-bacteria-in-weight-loss.html http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/25/health/eggs-too-may-provoke-bacteria-to-raise-heart-risk.html?_r=0

Wow, that article about being 10% human makes you wonder what we really are!! Sounds like the microbes out number us!! But at least it is a symbiotic relationship. I wonder how the human compares to other living things on this earth in their number of microbes?

Betty, In the information about the project they say dogs are welcome. When humans reside with dogs we apparently share part of our microbiomes Pam

Thanks for the information and the sites Pamela. The article in the NY Times is very interesting!

Hi Adah, You ask a very good question about probiotics. First, let me start by explaining what probiotics are. They are beneficial microorganisms that are found in a living thing’s body. These microorganisms are typically bacteria and they help maintain the natural balance of microorganisms in the digestive tract. However, they can also be fungi (e.g. yeast). It is hypothesized that healthy humans have about 400 probiotic bacteria. Hence, the need for the study about which Pam talked. Probiotics can also refer to a group of supplements and foods that contain the microorganisms described in the above paragraph. For the purpose of avoiding confusion in this post, I’m going to refer to the former as probiotics rather than the latter. These microorganisms have a symbiotic (commensalistic) relationship with their host. They do several things for the organisms in which they live. They reduce that growth of harmful bacteria. Scientists hypothesize probiotics do this by altering the microecology of the intestine, or secreting a growth-deterring agent, or by actually ingesting the bad bacteria. They also might stimulate the body’s immune response. These mechanisms promote a healthy digestive system. It is not just humans that have microorganisms living in intestinal tract. However, for the purpose of this post, I am just going to talk about humans. The most common genus of probiotic bacteria in humans is Lactobacillus. You have probably heard of it because it is the same genus of bacteria that is used in the culture of yogurt. It is also responsible for the lactic fermentation in the making of certain foods like pickles, sauerkraut, and kimchi. Another very common genus of bacteria found in your gut (the lower gastrointestinal tract) is Bifidobacterium . There are also several genera of yeast that are being studied to see if they provide probiotic benefits. The most common genus of yeast being studied is Saccharomyces. Currently, probiotics are used for a variety of gastrointestinal conditions such as infectious diarrhea, diarrhea associated with using antibiotics, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and inflammatory bowel disease (e.g., ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease). Probiotics are also being used for preventing tooth decay and for preventing or treating other oral health problems such as gingivitis and periodontitis. A probiotic will only work if the condition a person has is caused by an imbalance in the microorganisms that are found in the digestive tract (which runs from the mouth to the anus). There are a lot of other claims that are made by some that have yet to be substantiated (i.e. probiotics will help you lose weight). It is important to understand the probiotics are not a magic cure-all. If someone thinks they should take a supplement containing probiotics or include more foods containing probiotics in their diet, they discuss it with their health care provider. There is a lot of research being funded to study the benefits of using probiotics to treat acute diarrhea, infections caused by antibiotic resistance bacteria, gastroenteritis (an inflammation of the stomach and small intestine), and ezecma caused by an allergy to cow’s milk. Several of these studies are funded by the Probiotic Council which is a group of companies that make foods containing probiotics and supplements containing probiotics. Many of the theses studies are also funded by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) which is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Probiotic and Prebiotic Working Group. This post was only meant to be a quick summary to pique your interest. If you want to learn more, I’ve attached a word document of a list of helpful links in categories.

Attachments

Probiotic_Resources.docx (0.17 Mb)

Ruth, Thank you for posting this excellent synopsis of probiotics. I think anyone reading this will find it useful, especially your web links. Betty

Arlene and Adah,

After reading Arlene's article, I was remind of another treatment for microbiomes that are unhealthy. Maybe you have already heard about it....

Gastroenterologists are giving people with certain intestinal disorders stool transplants.
I know it sounds disgusting, but the scientific literature has reported some favorable results especially for individuals that have reoccurring Clostridium difficule infections (a very nasty bacterium).

I would say 'enjoy'....but EEEWWW. So instead, I hope this helps you understand the importance of the proper balance of microbes in an individual's gut. I've attached a document with some more links for you to peruse.

Attachments

Stool_Transplant_Reading_List.docx (0.13 Mb)

Thank you! I find the posts to this topic are very interesting to read. The NYT article is great. Scientific American also did a similar piece recently that I am posting below -- and is the reason that I clicked on your discussion thread to read and understand more. Thanks again!

Strange but true -- humans carry more bacterial cells than human ones

Hi Emily, Thanks for posting the link to the Scientific American article. It was a great summary article. I use Scientific American a lot with my classes. How will you use this information with your students?

Hi thread readers,

While I was catching up on my reading this evening, I came across this interactive from Scientific American. Enjoy! Explore the human microbiome.