Dr. Justin Sonnenburg: How to Build, Maintain & Repair Gut Health | Episode 62
Main Takeaways
Microbiome and microbiota are terms that refer to microorganisms found in the body, particularly in the gut, consisting of bacteria, archaea, yeasts, fungi, and viruses.
The gut microbiome is incredibly dense, composed of trillions of microbial cells, and is responsible for various functions in the body.
The human body is designed to cultivate and propagate these microbial cultures, from person to person and from generation to generation.
The oral microbiota is adapted to oxygen and different nutrients than the bacteria in the colon.
The dense microbiome in the colon is well-studied due to its easy accessibility through stool samples.
The microbiota in the body is assembled from multiple sources, including mothers, caregivers, and pets.
Defining a healthy versus an unhealthy microbiome is challenging as each individual has a unique microbiota signature.
Recent studies suggest that traditional populations have gut microbiomes that differ significantly from those of healthy Americans.
Access to the right microbes and providing them with the proper diet is crucial to establishing a stable state of the gut microbiome.
The benefits and drawbacks of cleanses and fasting are unclear due to limited high-quality scientific research in this area.
