Myths and Misconceptions About the Gut Microbiome
Inside your gut, there’s a whole world of mostly harmless microbes. They live in your digestive tract. It’s called the gut microbiome. This collection of bacteria and tiny organisms has gotten a lot of attention. It’s linked to health conditions like autism, diabetes, depression, Alzheimer’s, and movement disorders.
Sorting Fact from Fiction
But even with what researchers know, there’s still much unknown. Some myths need clearing up. Microbiologists Alan Walker and Lesley Hoyles looked at these myths in Nature Microbiology. They say that while microbiome research is exciting, there’s also hype and wrong ideas.
Some myths are small and big. They could slow down research progress, Walker and Hoyles say.
Let’s look at some of these myths. First, microbiome research isn’t new. It started in the late 1800s. The connection between the gut and the brain has been studied for a long time. We now know it works in both directions.
Now for numbers. The human microbiota weighs maybe 1 to 2 kilograms. But Walker and Hoyles couldn’t find where this came from. They think it’s more like 500 grams. They got this by looking at poop weight and the weight of what’s in the colon.
Another myth is that our bodies have Ten times more microbes than cells. That isn’t true. It’s likely one microbe for One cell.
People say babies get their microbes from their moms at birth. Some do, but not many stay. Diet, genes, antibiotics, and the environment shape our microbiome.
Everyone’s microbiome is unique. Even twins raised together have different ones, Walker and Hoyles say.
Exploring the Technical Misunderstandings
There are other myths about lab work. But the big question is if changes in the microbiome cause disease. It’s hard to say because differences in the microbiome are not consistent. They’re different in each person, even when sick. Age, BMI, meds, metabolism, and the immune system also play a role. This makes it tough to find clear answers in studies.
The perspective has been published in Nature Microbiology.
