Human Microbiome

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hell listeners, I can't thank you enough for we're stopping by.
It's time for another episode of the Science Stuff to
Blow Your Mind podcast, a show dedicated to blowing your
mind with science. That's right, got a good one for
you today. This show will absolutely leave you wanting to

(00:21):
take a bath inside and out. You think you're clean
now you don't realize the amount of organisms living on
you every moment. Let's start off with the microbiome diversity
across the body. The human body is home to trillions

(00:41):
with a t of microbes in different regions such as
the gut, skin, mouth, lungs, and genitals harbor unique microbial ecosystems.
The gut microbiome, housing over one thousand species, is the

(01:05):
most diverse then studied. Meanwhile, the skin microbiome varies between
oil and dry patches. These microbial communities co evolve with
us performing region specific tasks, from producing vitamins to regulating
inflammation and defending against pathogens. Disruption in one area often

(01:29):
affects others, showing just how interconnected these biomes truly are.
Let's start off with the gut brain axis. The gut
brain axis is a two way communication network. Involving the
gut microbiota, the intrig nervous system, and the central nervous system.

(01:56):
Studies have shown that gut bacteria produce neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine,
and GAPA through the vagus nerve in immune signaling. These
bacteria influence mood, stress, and cognition. Mice raised in sterile

(02:18):
environments germ free mice that is, exhibit altered behavior and
brain structure, suggesting that gut microbes are essential for normal
neurological development. This field is opening new paths for treating anxiety, depression,
and neurodevelopmental conditions using psychobiotics bacteria that can affect brain function.

(02:45):
Next microbiome and immunity. Our immune system co evolved with
microbes at birth. Our bodies are relatively sterile, and microbial
exposure helps train the immune system to recognized threats versus allies.
Bacteria like bacterioids, for gilis, produce polysaccharides the calm inflammatory

(03:12):
T cell responses. Without this early microbial interaction, the immune
system may become hyperactive, contributing to autoimmune diseases like chrons,
type one diabetes and group between arthritis. This has led
to the old Friends hypothesis, which suggests the lack of

(03:33):
exposure to ancestral microbes may underlie modern immune disorders. Next,
let's take a look at the impact of antibiotics. While
antibiotics revolutionized medicine, saving millions of lives, they also indiscriminately
kill beneficial microbes. And now you've got kids running around

(03:57):
allergic to peanuts. A single course can wipe out up
to ninety percent of gut bacteria, with some species taking
months or years to recover if at all. Over use
is linked to antibiotic resistant pathogens, gut dysbiosis, and long

(04:18):
term health effects such as increase risk for allergies, asthma,
and obesity. Children are especially vulnerable, with early life antibiotic
exposure correlating to lifelong microbiome shifts. Folks, let your kids

(04:40):
run around barefoot, playing in the dirt and drinking out
of water. Hosess they'll be immune to everything. Next, Fecal
microbiotic transplants, otherwise known as FMT. FMT is the transfer
of stool from a healthy donor to the gut of
a patient to restore microbiobalance. You eat somebody else's pooh.

(05:05):
It has proven life saving in patients with recurrent claustrodym DIFICIAW.
I don't even know what that means. They're infections. Though
with curates of over ninety percent, the procedure has gained
popularity as a potential treatment for inflammatory bowel disease, obesity,
and even autism. Who knew pooh could be so powerful

(05:28):
in your gut? Though some uses remain experimental, clinical trials
are under way to determine safety, and new companies are
developing capsule based versions to avoid invasive methods. Next up,
how about some infant microbiome developments. At birth, the mode

(05:48):
of delivery significantly shapes in the infant's microbiome. Vaginal birds
expose babies to the mother's vaginal and gut microbes, while
sea section birds result in colonization by skin and hospital
associated bacteria. Breast milk provides not only nutrients, but also

(06:11):
beneficial microbes and prebiotics that selectively feed them. Disruptions in
this early microbial seating process are linked to allergies, asthma,
and autoimmune conditions later in life. There is growing interest
in vaginal seating for sea section babies and supplementing formula

(06:33):
with human milk. Next on the lists, diet and the
microbiome Diet no one of the most powerful modulators of
the microbiome. Diets high in fiber support a diverse microbiota
and increase short chain fatty acid production, which fuels intestinal

(06:54):
cells and dampens inflammation. Conversely, processed foods sugar rent immulsifiers
have been linked to reduced diversity and disease. In landmark studies,
Switching from a high fiber diet to a Western style
diet changed the microbiome in just twenty four hours. Personalized

(07:17):
nutrition companies now use microbiome data to tailor meal plans
aimed at optimizing health and metabolism. Next, let's take a
look at obesity and metabolic health. Obese individuals often have
a lower diversity of gut bacteria and a higher ratio

(07:38):
of permacutes to bacterioid diets. Species I set all of
that perfectly. Some microbes are more efficient at extracting calories
for food, potentially contributing to weight gain. Germ free mice
given microbes from obese humans gain significantly more weight than

(08:01):
those given microbes from lean doors despite eating the same diet.
The microbiome's role in insulin resistance and inflammation is under investigation,
with hopes for microbiome targeted at therapies for obesity and
type two diabetes. How about probiotics and prebiotics. Probiotics are

(08:26):
live microbes that may confer health benefits, while prebiotics are
fibers that feed these microbes. While yogurt and supplements are popular,
many over the counter probiotics don't survive the stomach, acid
or colonize the gut. Still, certain strains have shown promise

(08:46):
for treating in diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, and even mood disorders.
Prebiotics like inuline and resistant starch naturally occur in foods
like onions, garlic, and bananas. Symbiotics combinations of both are
a hot area of study. Let's take a look at

(09:08):
microbiome and allergies. Modern life, with its sanitized environments and
reduced microbial exposure, correlates with rising allergy rates. Children raised
on farms over the pets are exposed to more microbial
diversity and are less likely to develop asthma in exizhema.

(09:30):
Early life antibiotic use and cesarean birth also increase allergy risk.
Researchers believe the microbiome plays a critical role in polarizing
the immune system to harmless allergens. Treatments using beneficial microbes
to prevent or reverse allergies are in development. Unfortunately, that's

(09:54):
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