(health) The Human Microbiome

All of the living intestinal bacterial organisms that help our body sustain life.

 

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The concept has been around for a long time but mainly at the academic level. It will be at least a several years before there's any widespread clinical implication.

To put things in perspective, something that I was taught in university is that there are more bacterial cells in our bodies than human cells. We are only at the cusp of understanding their role. There's some indication in the literature that our bacteria friends have influence on our behaviours and personalities.

 

Typical reductionist cr*p. I have watched YT videos that say the same thing. Reducng a human beng to a number of cells, and then stating that there are more bacterial cells than human cells is really a pathological way of trying to make a point. First, bacteria are organisms. Why any " scientist" would talk about them in terms of their cell count is more reductionist garbage. The understanding that people are supposed to be getting is that these bacterial organisms/ colonies are essential to sustain life. They break down foods and liberate vitamins and minerals for use by the body, they secrete Lactic acid which kills pathological bacteria preventing putrifaction and many more things that i wont list here. They are also easily destroyed by antibiotics, chlorinated water, and other environmental toxins..even psychological stress. These bacterium form a sacred and delicate symbiosis - a Microbiome.

 

What's with the hostility? The point of that comparison is not meant to be reductionist at all. It's meant to highlight the overlooked role of bacterial flora in human physiology and pathology.

Do you have any scientific training or are you an armchair scientist? The statement is meant to put things in perspective particularly to laypeople. Of course the scientific community recognizes that human beings and bacteria are more than the sum of their parts.

PS: They teach kids this in high school and even elementary school.