There’s an entire world inside your intestine, made up of largely innocent microbes that reside within the gastrointestinal tract.

Referred to as the intestine microbiome, this dazzling assortment of micro organism and different microorganisms has been the supply of a lot consideration – linked to an unlimited array of well being circumstances, from autism spectrum dysfunction and diabetes, to melancholy, Alzheimer’s illness, and motion problems.

However for all that researchers have found concerning the intestine microbiome, there’s an entire lot we nonetheless do not know – and a stack of myths it seems we have to clear up.

Writing in Nature Microbiology after scouring the literature, UK microbiologists Alan Walker from the College of Aberdeen and Lesley Hoyles from Nottingham Trent College weigh in on 12 myths and misconceptions concerning the intestine microbiome, partly spawned by the massive potential the intestine microbiome holds for human well being.

“Though actually thrilling, the growing concentrate on microbiome analysis has sadly additionally introduced with it hype and entrenched sure misconceptions,” Walker and Hoyles write.

“Consequently, many unsupported, or under-supported, statements have change into ‘truth’ by advantage of fixed repetition.”

Whereas a few of these myths are comparatively trivial, others are extra widespread, and collectively, they may undermine progress and public confidence within the analysis, Walker and Hoyles argue.

So let’s dive into a few of the juicier myths on the checklist. Thoughts the mucus.

For starters, microbiome analysis will not be some new area; it dates again to at the least the late nineteenth century, when the primary bacterial samples had been remoted from the human gut.

Equally, the mysterious connection between the physique’s bowels and the thoughts, the gut-brain axis, has been researched for hundreds of years. Solely extra lately have we come to understand how that connection operates in each instructions.

Now for some numbers. The sum complete of the human microbiota has been estimated to weigh between 1 to 2 kilograms (2.2 to 4.4 kilos). However Walker and Hoyles had been unable to search out the unique supply for this extensively cited determine.

As a substitute, they calculate the human microbiota extra possible weighs 500 grams or much less. Their revised estimate is predicated on how a lot a median human stool weighs (200 grams moist weight), how a lot of that poop is made up of microorganisms (about half), and the burden of colonic contents.

Equally, some ‘again of the envelope’ calculations within the Nineteen Seventies gave rise to the concept that the human physique homes 10 instances as many particular person microbes as its personal cells.

Researchers have tried to clear up this delusion earlier than, discovering that the ratio is most likely nearer to 1:1. Clearly, it bears repeating if we see these figures doing the rounds once more.

One other generally reported declare is that infants ‘inherit’ their microbiota from their moms at delivery. Whereas some microorganisms are immediately transferred throughout delivery, analysis suggests few species really stick with us all through our lives.

A mom’s microbiota may give infants a temporary well being enhance, but it surely’s our food plan, antibiotics, genetics, and the atmosphere we’re uncovered to that form our microbiome.

“Each grownup finally ends up with a novel microbiota configuration, even equivalent twins which can be raised in the identical family,” Walker and Hoyles notice.

The remaining misconceptions are a bit extra technical, in regards to the lab work of busy microbiologists.

However the final one we’re most likely most eager about is whether or not adjustments in an individual’s intestine microbiome contribute to illness.

It is tough for researchers to attract clear patterns as a result of “such alterations are hardly ever constant and the microbiota is vastly variable between people, each in well being and illness,” Walker and Hoyles write.

Age, BMI, and drugs, in addition to an individual’s metabolism and immune system, may have an effect on microbiota composition, which makes all of it very difficult to disentangle any attainable trigger and impact in observational research.

The angle has been revealed in Nature Microbiology.