Summary : Can Gut Bacteria Fluctuate With Seasons?

The large bowel is home to the majority of microbes in the human gut, where they act to ferment undigested food, mostly carbohydrates and fiber, and create fecal bulk. More than half of the bacteria that make up the human gut microbiota belong to Bacteroidetes or Firmicutes (9). The ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes has been shown to have health implications; a greater number of Firmicutes to a smaller number of Bacteroidetes has been seen in healthier individuals. What we eat can play a role on the composition of our gut, and which bacteria phyla are

I have chosen to pursue a major in microbiology due to my high interest in public and international health. I am interested in how microbes play a role in the functionality of the human body. Moreover, I find the ecological roles of microbes to be critical to our understanding of other fields of science that impact human health. The niches of microbes throughout a variety of environments indicates the human impact on our ecosystem.

Before, biologists assumed all microbes are bad for the human body (automatically thought of pathogens), caused many diseases and harm our body fundamental systems. In addition, the biologists think that our body is already built which had all the functions required to maintain our health. However, the attitude has changed over the last decade. The biologists characterized the most prevalent species of microbes in the body, and found out that these collective microbes do not threaten us, and they also are important part of human bodies.

There are major effects in the United States and Europe to help identify the role of microbial communities in the human body. The colon requires a balance of microbial agents that assist with various functions of the body. An imbalance can lead to C.diff., irritable bowel disease (IBD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), neurological disorders, and obesity just to list a few. Many of these problems have grown to an epidemic proportion. Both the United States and Europe have started projects aimed at the microbial communities of the body and their roles in our health.

Unique microbiota could suggest a human’s current health or if there is any forthcoming chronic disease (Ley, 2006). Families with shared healthy microbes may be able to help relatives who suffer from gastrointestinal disease; but the extant to which the microbiome is shared across generations is not readily known and more research is needed. The core trends for current research revolve around control of obesity, treatment of gastrointestinal diseases such as Crohn’s, and hormonal manipulation in cases of depression. It is imperative to learn to eat for optimal health, to evolve along with the commensals (Turner et al., 2013) as human diets influence diversity of microbes present (Ley et al., 2008). This is a relatively new field with exciting prospects of positive outcomes for some of society’s more chronic

These diseases are more common in affluent, Western countries, and are also seen in immigrants to these countries. According to the hygiene hypothesis, many childhood diseases can be attributed to too clean of an environment. (Neu, 2011). The human body is made up of 100 trillion cells. There are 10 times this many intestinal microorganisms. Estimations project that there are 100 times as many genes in aggregate of intestinal flora than there are in the human genome. These bacteria are basically like a vital organ when considering their metabolic function. Gut bacteria promote the intestinal mucosal immune system. Microorganisms and humans have developed a co-dependence. Microorganisms react to the drastically changing environment with increased inflammatory responses such as psychological stress, inappropriate diet (specifically the exponential increase of processed food), toxins, and cesarean delivery. The extent of chronic inflammatory disorders is potentially far larger than previously assumed including allergies, inflammatory bowel disease, autoimmunity, vascular disease, depression, anxiety, cancer, and possibly type 2 diabetes and neurodegenerative disorders. Children delivered by CD have a much higher chance to have celiac disease and gastroenteritis. Gut bacteria police their environment with toll-like receptors and pattern recognition. Gut flora influences oral

The effect of different diets on the gut microbiome has been studied greatly in mice and to a lesser extent in humans to assess the effect that dietary composition has on the gut micro-biome. It has been suggested that increased efficiency of energy harvest due to changes in the gut microbiota with an increase in Firmicutes and decrease Bacteroidetes bacteria, occurs in obesity in mice and humans.4 A study performed by Murphy et al looked at the effect of a high-fat (HF) diet and genetic obesity (ob/ob) for changes in gut microbiota and the amount of energy harvested from food over time.4 Ob/ob mice were fed a low-fat diet and wild-type mice were fed either a low-fat or HF-diet for 8 weeks. Results indicated an increase in Firmicutes bacteria in both mice fed a HF diet as well as ob/ob mice, but Firmicutes bacteria did not change over time in the lean control mice. A reduction in Bacteroidetes bacteria was also found in ob/ob mice.4

There are trillions of microorganisms living within us, greatly outnumbering our cells and genes. They are found in our skin, hair, membranes, mucous membranes and gastrointestinal tracts. Collectively these microorganisms are called our microbiota. Every individual has a unique microbiota, kind of like a fingerprint, but usually share similar metabolic functions. A vast majority of these are harmless and even beneficial to us, these are referred to as commensals. There are many bacterial commensals, that have co-evolved with us for centuries, making it possible for our bodies to properly function. Commensals benefit us by synthesizing vitamins and minerals, digest foods we alone cannot, regulate immunity, detox the body, protect against infections, and reduce inflammation. While there

In addition to this, a closer look at the roles that diet and antibiotics play in altering gut microbiota, as well as the evidence regarding the potential to target gut microbiota as a treatment for obesity are addressed as well. The research explored in this paper has the potential to pave the way for interventions based on manipulating the gut bacteria in an attempt to bring about weight loss and to generate a new understanding of the causes and mechanisms behind the obesity

Physiological books—specifically those about the gut microbiota and the importance of the digestive system—took up the most rows in my mental library due to the fact that I can use their knowledge to positively impact countless lives, starting with the ones closest to home. I grew up allergic to pollen, dust, peanuts, oatmeal, and even penicillin. My mother has an issue with Helicobacter pylori in her stomach and cholesterol levels. My father is genetically predisposed towards high blood pressure. Through these books, I gained a better understanding of the biological human; specifically, I learned about how central the digestive system is to the body, not only by providing nutrients but also, through its resident bacteria, by regulating immune function. Through learning more about this expansive mass, I can help my loved ones change their lifestyle and dietary habits to improve their

These complex communities play an important role in health and have been implicated in the pathogenesis of diseases including diabetes, cardiovascular disease and obesity. The microbiota living symbiotically with their host are generally non-pathogenic and have evolved with humans in order to combat colonization by harmful bacteria while extracting energy from non-digestible polysaccharides. There are many factors that contribute to the stability of the gut microbiome. Typically, the gut microbiome is established at birth and differs with mode of delivery (vaginally vs. cesarean) [7,9]. Therefore, the manner in which a child is born influences the composition of bacteria. Other factors include host environment, genetics and lifestyle, the latter of which is the focus of this proposal [8,16]. The gut flora are beneficial to humans as they provide essential nutrients while also acting as an adaptive immune system [7, 23]. Research has suggested that antigens released from gut microbiota can be absorbed and infiltrate adipose tissue, thereby worsening chronic inflammation and oxidative stress associated with obesity [23]. Therefore, identifying the specific microbiome of an individual can be diagnostic of metabolic disorders [8] and may contribute to impaired endothelium-mediated

The author’s experience as the director of Human Microbe Program, disease specialist, and public health professional at CDC able him to compare and contrast the transformations of the microbes as times change.

I would be very pleased to contribute to research within the intended Junior Research Group on Nutrition and Microbiota. Ever since my completion of my bachelors in veterinary medicine and work as a pathobiologist, I have had a growing interest in studying how the microbiota contributes to chronic diseases. Lifestyle factors, including diet play an extremely important role in the development of these diseases.

Further research is necessary to better understand the exact relationship of the gut bacteria and the gut itself. This will help in determining the influence of the gut bacteria on our weight [27].

The human microbiome is the genetic material of the microbes that live inside and on the human body. Microbes are microscopic organisms such as bacteria, fungi, protozoa and viruses. One’s diet and environmental factors can affect the composition of the microbiome. There is a high concentration of microbes in the gut, particularly inside the large intestine. The microbiome does many different things. It helps to digest our food, regulate our immune system, produce vitamins, protect against bad bacteria, and is essential for human development. Recent studies suggest that the microbiome also has an impact on the brain and emotional behavior. Interactions between the host and its microbiome are complex and bidirectional.