How to help your microfauna positively affect your health
Slide 2
There are HOW MANY in me? For every one human cell there are 10
single-celled microbes. Average number of cells in a human is 10
trillion, so number of microbes? Collectively referred to as
microbiotia Fungi Protozoa o Bacteria
Slide 3
Anaerobic vs. Aerobic Most of the bacteria in the gut are
anaerobic, or live without oxygen. But until recently, to study the
bacteria in the gut, they were grown in petrie dishes (in oxygen).
So how do we identify species which wont grow in oxygen? We
sequence their genes. But this is a huge undertaking! While humans
have 30,000 genes, our bacteria have millions.
Slide 4
Types of Bacteria There are about 100 phyla of bacteria. Human
microbiomes are dominated by four: Actinobacteria Bacteriodetes
Firmicutes Proteobacteria (contains a lot of bad guys E. coli,
salmonella, etc.)
Slide 5
Firmicutes vs. Bacteriodetes Heavier Americans have been
discovered to have more Firmicutes than Bacteriodetes. Dieting
causes a decrease in Firmicutes and an increase in Bacteriodetes.
Bacteriodetes suppress a hormone that facilitates the storage of
fat WHILE also suppressing an enzyme that stops fat from being
burned, thus preventing weight gain.
Slide 6
Wait, theres more! Stress decreases bacteriodetes, thereby
increasing weight gain. Firmicutes love amino acids and multiply
with diets high in protein. Bacteroidetes like carbs, helping us
extract nutrients from oranges, apples, potatoes, and wheat germ.
Prevotella (a bacteriodete) like whole grains, so youd think theyd
indicate good health, but they are also found in large quantities
in patients with HIV and have been linked to heart disease. Even
with all of this information and more, we still dont know which
levels of each of these indicates a healthy microbiome.
Slide 7
Gut Bacteria and Heart Attacks Gut bacteria make most of the
formic acid in humans. The amount of formic acid in the urine is
inversely related to blood pressure. Killing off those bacteria
reduces atherosclerosis, and thereby, heart attacks. Gut bacteria
also turn lecithin (found in eggs, liver, beef, pork and wheat
germ) into an artery-clogging compound, TMAO. TMAO levels in the
blood can be used to predict heart attacks, strokes and do so
independent of other risk factors.
Slide 8
Gut Bacteria and Type 2 Diabetes Morbidly obese people can have
a procedure done called a Roux-en-Y, which reduces the small
intestine, thereby reducing food absorption. This causes them to
lose weight. A side effect is that in 80% of the cases, the persons
type 2 diabetes disappears as well. It is believed the intestinal
bypass disrupts the influence of the microbiome on the sensitivity
of body cells to insulin.
Slide 9
Gut Bacteria and Parkinsons Studies have shown patients whose
constipation was treated with antibiotics saw their Parkinsons
symptoms disappear. It is thought the bacteria causing Parkinsons
travels from the gut to the brain via the vagus nerve. In severe
cases, the antibiotics wiped out all of the gut flora and as a
result these patients then received fecal transplants (will explain
later). And then other diseases affecting these patients were
alleviated; - Multiple Sclerosis, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome,
Rheumatoid Arthritis.
Slide 10
The Complicated Case of Helicobacter Pylori Helicobacter Pylori
definitely can cause ulcers and stomach cancer, but rarely and
usually in older people. Most people with H. Pylori have no
problems with it. In fact, in studying this bacteria, scientists
discovered it benefits the body by regulating levels of stomach
acids, prevents asthma and reduces the chances of overeating by
regulating the hormone ghrelin. (Good news) Too bad fewer than 6%
of American children carry this bacteria. (Bad news) Could this
explain the rise of asthma and obesity in American children? One
possible suggested solution inoculate children with H. Pylori for
its benefits early on in life and then get rid of it with
antibiotics around age 40.
Slide 11
Gut Bacteria and Autism The majority of people with autism have
a gut rich in Clostridia bacteria. These bacteria use phenols to
kill competing bacteria in the gut. Phenols work because they are
toxic. They are toxic to the competing bacteria as well as to human
cells. Humans therefore neutralize these phenols with sulfur. But
sulfur is needed for brain development. It is not proven that this
is what causes autism. But note many autistic people have a genetic
defect which interferes with their sulfur metabolism and having an
infection with Clostridia could be pushing them over the edge.
Slide 12
Why Am I So Healthy Then? Invasion Resistance probably. Most
peoples microbiome is healthy and work to keep pathogens from
gaining a toehold by occupying potential niches. But at the same
time our microbiomes are also making the environment inhospitable
to foreigners.
Slide 13
The Big Question for People Who Arent Healthy Will switching
out my gut bacteria fix these problems?
Slide 14
YES! (in some cases) The most dramatic results are found in
patients with severe Clostridium difficile infections. C.difficile
kills about 14,000 Americans a year. Most effective treatment?
Re-poop-ulating the patient. Thats right. Replacing their gut
bacteria with that from a healthy donor. The scientific name for
this is fecal-microbiotia-transplantation or FMT.
Slide 15
Studying Gut Bacteria In 2012, NIH and the European Commission
have pledged more than $170 million over the next five years to
identify and characterize the human microbiome. The two major goals
are: to identify where the bacteria are located in/on the human
body compile a reference set of genetic sequences that correspond
to each bacterial species which will go into a shared international
database.
Slide 16
The American Gut Project The American Gut project builds on the
Human Microbiome Project (what the NIH is funding) by allowing
ANYONE to participate in bacterial gut research. Simply sign up,
donate $99 bucks, use the supplied kit and find out which microbes
have made your skin, your mouth and your gut their home. Your
results are emailed to you along with the results from the average
American for comparison.
Slide 17
Babies and Gut Bacteria Babies come with sterile intestines.
During vaginal birth, the baby takes in most of the mothers
microbiome. (C-section babies pick up SOME of their mothers
microbiome while being breastfed, but it mostly from skin, which
may account for the higher rates of allergy, asthma and autoimmune
problems in C-section babies. Their immune systems may fail to
develop properly.) Within weeks, the baby has its own microbiome,
but this microbiome changes with the baby as solid food is
introduced and as weaning occurs. About age 3 the childs microbiome
resembles that of the adults it lives with.
Slide 18
Evidence for Co-evolution Breast milk contains loads of carbs
called glycans. Humans do not have the gene containing the
instructions to make the enzyme that breaks down glycans into
simple sugars. Bacteria in our gut regularly make glycoside
hydrolase, which CAN digest glycans, thus releasing energy from
breast milk to the child.
Slide 19
What else is in Breast Milk that provides even more evidence?
Mothers milk contains lots of oligosaccharides, which infants
cannot digest, nor use. So why are they present in the milk? It
turns out they are a favorite nutrient for Bifidobacterium
infantis. When there are a lot of B. infantis present, there is no
room for less savory microbes. But more importantly, B. infantis
nurture the lining of the intestines, protecting the infant from
infection and inflammation. So milk is both probiotic (contains
some of moms bacteria) and prebiotic (contains food for
bacteria).
Slide 20
Gut Bacteria and Termites African children who eat a high fiber
diet (and the occasional termite) have bacteria in their guts that
break down fibers, releasing nutrients the children can absorb.
These bacteria are commonly found in the stomach of termites, but
not in most humans. Interestingly enough, these bacteria were found
to make short chain fatty acids that give people energy and protect
them from inflammatory gut diseases such as Crohns and Inflammatory
Bowel Disorder. AND these African children had fewer
diarrhea-causing bacteria in their gut, which is weird because they
routinely drink water polluted with such bacteria.
Slide 21
So How Do I Get Healthy Bacteria? Do things that expose you to
a variety of bacteria. Garden Compost Raise worms Have a dog
Disinfect less around your house Be outside, in the dirt, getting
dirty Make raw-milk cheese Ferment something and consume it
Slide 22
No, it cant be beer or wine! No, ferment something like yogurt,
or sauerkraut or kim- chi. Fermented vegetables contain some great
bacteria such as bifiobacteria and Lactobacillus plantarum. And
then eat these foods without pasteurizing them first. Eat fewer
processed foods (very sterile and full of additives that we have no
idea how they affect our microbiomes). Al dente pasta is better
than soft pasta Steel-cut oats are better than rolled Raw or
lightly cooked vegetables are better than overcooked
Slide 23
Increase Your Internal Fermentation A key to health is
fermentation in the large intestine. This means eating a variety of
plants with their variety of fibers, such as: Resistant Starches
these are found in bananas, oats, beans Soluble fibers found in
onions and other root vegetables, nuts Insoluble fibers found in
whole grains, especially bran, and avocados. The by-product of
fermentation is the short-chain fatty acids that nourish the gut
barrier and help prevent inflammation.
Slide 24
How Do I Feed the Good Guys? Bacteroides (the ones that promote
slimness) LOVE fructans! What contains fructans? Asparagus,
artichokes, garlic, onions Eat antibiotic-free meat. Most of our
gut bacteria love polysaccharides (complex carbs including fiber),
but each bacteria has its own preferences, so eat a large variety.
The food industry likes to add inulin (from chicory root) as fiber,
but only a limited number of bacteria even like inulin.
Slide 25
What about eating Probiotics? Well, remember that they contain
only bacteria that can be grown in aerobic conditions. Which dont
include most of our healthy microbiome. However, studies have shown
they may be effective in a variety of ways: Reducing allergic
responses Shortening the length and severity of colds in children
Relieving diarrhea and irritable bowel symptoms And improving the
function of the intestinal epithelium Keep in mind - this market is
unregulated. One study tested 14 commercial probiotics and found
only one contained the exact species stated on the label.
Slide 26
Restoration Ecology With all the widespread antibiotic use in
the world, processed foods, modern birth methods, where can one
find a healthy diverse human microbiome? In humans who havent been
exposed to the Western world yet. Research is currently going on to
collect samples from tribesmen in the remote Amazon. We are
assuming they have a healthy microbiome, but the reality is we
really dont know enough to recognize what a healthy microbiome
looks like.
Slide 27
What does the future hold? Synbiotics Suites of targeted, next
generation probiotic microbes administered along with the
appropriate prebiotic nutrients to nourish them, replacing the
generic repoopulation (or fecal transplants) of today. Scientists
in the field agree - Synbiotics will be the next Big Pharma
field.