In the past few years, the microbiome has become a hot topic. Even if you’re not an experienced scientist, I would bet you’ve read something or another about the bacteria growing in your gut. Unfortunately, we live in a day and age where lots of misinformation is spread online. Bad pop science articles and health conspiracy theories are shared on Facebook every day (we all have that one relative). That’s why I am here to share some recent and reliable facts about the microbiome!
It has been known that the bacteria that live inside us affect our health. Every day, more research is being done to demonstrate that these microbes may affect us more than we initially thought. The microbiome starts to develop as an infant passes through the birth canal and continues to develop until around the age of 3. These early years for a child are critical as the acquired composition of gut microbiota will persist into adulthood. Disruptions in the development of a healthy microbiome in early childhood can be linked to higher risk of obesity, diabetes, allergies, and asthma along with various other chronic conditions. This may be explained by what is called the “hygiene hypothesis” which suggests that exposure to various microorganisms protects children by contributing to their immune system; thus being overly clean may contribute to diseases such as asthma or allergies. (Disclaimer: Please do not use this hypothesis as an excuse to not wash your hands!)
Not only does your microbiota affect your immune system, new evidence shows that it may affect your behavior and mood as well. A study published in January 2020 demonstrated that a child’s gut microbiota can be linked to their behavior. Other studies conducted in the last year have shown that people with mental health disorders such as depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia show significant differences in their gut microbiome. These are just a few of the ways our microbiota impacts our lives. We have come a long way in what we know about the microbiome and what it can do for us, with new research being published all the time. In coming years our knowledge will only grow, hopefully leading to the development of therapeutics for some of the health problems mentioned above.
Microbiology by Madeline 