Hot people have healthy gut microbiomes, NOT IBS

Are you a good host?

I’m back in Marseille! Today I cover the microbiome, what we know about the gut-brain axis, and evidence-based ways to be a proper host to good bacteria. They like their martinis verrrry dirty. Also, there’s a market for baby gut microbiome screening. Inspired by my therapist friend from LA (a friend who is a therapist) who sent me this podcast interview with Dr. Sarkis Mazmanian (Cal Tech microbiologist + microbiome researcher),

it’s strawberry season

In 2013, bohemian was in, Kesha sang about the only TikTok we knew, and people thought the bacteria in our bodies outnumbered our human cells by ten (10) to one (1). That was based on an elementary estimate from the 1970s, which researchers revised in 2016. We do house more bacteria than human cells in our bodies, but we’re not THAT outnumbered. The ratio is closer to half and half (1 to 1.3, favoring microorganisms). Are we human or are we dancers microbes?

What is the microbiome?

By now, you’ve likely seen a wellness influencer tell you you need to heal your gut. But what does that even mean? The microbiome is a relatively new area of study. Researchers call it the forgotten organ. If we imagine that our body is a suburban town (my body is cosmopolitan, actually), the microbiome is a house. In that house, live microbiota (bacteria, yeast, fungi, and other tiny organisms), they’re the tenants. But there’s also furniture and plants, or the genes (metagenome) and environmental factors that impact the microbiota (make a home). Can you tell I’m really trying to make this analogy work?

What do we know about it?

A fun way to think about the microbiome is to see it as a collection of bacterial souvenirs. How you live and your environment—what you eat, who you kiss, where you travel—influence your microbiome. We used to think that all bacteria were bad. This is wrong! Some microbes have hearts of gold. It’s why you don’t want to overuse a hand sanitizer that promises to kill All The Germs. Here’s what we know:

As a caveat, most microbiome research focuses on rich Western countries (classic). Also, remember that CORRELATION DOES NOT EQUAL CAUSATION I WILL REMIND YOU UNTIL THE DAY I DIE.

• The field seems to agree that diverse microbiomes are linked to better health outcomes, and microbiome imbalances can allow for harmful germs to take over

• We all have different microbiota—you’re not like other girls

• Microbes help us digest food, break down toxins, synthesize vitamins/amino acids, and absorb nutrients

• Certain bacteria can have protective effects against severe infections and related hospitalization, while other microbes can amplify tumor growth in colorectal cancer or modulate neurodegeneration in diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. Others play a role in metabolic disorders (e.g., insulin resistance, Type II diabetes) potentially influencing how our bodies metabolize energy or store fat

• The gut microbiome interacts with the immune system, helping to train immune cells and regulate responses. Imbalances in the gut microbiome have been linked to various immune-related disorders (e.g., autoimmune diseases and allergies).

• Our gut and brain talk to each other, it’s called the gut-brain axis. Emerging research suggests that disruptions in the gut microbiome may contribute to mental health disorders such as depression + anxiety

• Because we get our Microbiome Starter Pack™ during birth, C-Section babies have different microbiomes than reg birth canal babies and are missing crucial microbes that can contribute to a strong immune system at birth (but they can be restored)

What impacts our microbiome?

Hygiene: The Hygiene Hypothesis suggests that we’ve overcorrected and distanced ourselves too much from our microbial friends, leading to rising rates of autoimmune conditions, allergies, and intolerances. The idea is that we co-evolved with bacteria that balanced our ancestor’s immune systems.

Antibiotic Overuse: The thing I fear most is antibiotic resistance. No one can save you from that, except God. Antibiotics can deplete our good bacteria, leaving room for bad bacteria to flourish.

Your Parents: If you happen to be a male mouse reading this, scientists tested what happens when you reduce the diversity + amount of gut microbiota in male mice. How? By giving them antibiotics (!!!!) and/or laxatives. They found that their babies were more likely to be born underweight, have stunted growth, and die young. This means that the gut microbiome impacts sperm quality, and we already know that faulty sperm has downstream effects on offspring. The good news is that once their microbiome was restored, mouse baby daddies could make healthy babies again.

Okay, back to the human readers: We often blame mothers for the health outcomes of their babies, but this study contributes to existing research showing you may also be able to blame your dad for some of your health issues.

Lifestyle: After we’re born, what we eat and what we’re exposed to further shape our microbiomes. Let’s talk about me! I eat a lot of sugar/carbs so my microbiome is likely full of bugs that love sugar/carbs. In turn, I crave MORE sugar/carbs. When IRL girl said sugar made her the woman she is today, she was SO right about that.

a tweet by @fruktflicka

How can you be a good host?

Like with neuroplasticity, we’ve learned that our microbiomes are quite responsive, and we can alter them (good or bad, depending on your habits!). Your genetics make you susceptible to certain diseases/conditions, but your microbiome can modify or regulate disease manifestation.

• Eat! Enough! Often, that’s eating more. We’re not under-fueling our bodies in 2024. Bonus points for diversity in your meals.

• Drink less - alcohol is bad for your good gut bacteria….sugar also (this is a reminder for me)

• Have some fiber through fruits + vegetables (or even psyllium husk if you must), and reduce ultra-processed foods (you already know this)

• Introduce probiotics, these can come from food, supplements, or a combination of the two. If you opt for supplements, make sure they’re a trusted brand (these are dietary supplements and NOT FDA-regulated). Also, be aware that we don’t know enough to formulate the ideal mix of microbiota species, so it’s not a perfect solution.

  • I also have to put my Big Pharma Cancer Policy hat on and flag that you should talk to your doctor before starting probiotics, especially if you’ve had a bone marrow transplant

• Practice antibiotic stewardship - there’s a time and place for antibiotic use, but be prudent. I’m insane, but when my dermatologist wanted to try antibiotics for my acne (there’s a bacteria associated with acne), I asked for “literally any other option.”

• Go ahead and also skip the NSAIDs (if the pain isn’t too bad)

• Reduce your stressors

• Move your body, UCLA researchers found that exercising is tied to a lower risk of inflammatory bowel disease and shortens the time stool moves through our bowels.

• Go to sleep! I’m about to!

I’m old enough to remember when the Obama White House launched the National Microbiome Initiative. Whatever came of that? The gut microbiome varies widely among individuals, influenced by factors like genetics, diet, lifestyle, and environment. Personalized approaches to microbiome analysis and interventions are being explored to tailor treatments to individual needs. We’re just a combination of nature/nurture/microbiome

xxsem