As we ring in 2020 and look forward to a new decade in medical research, it’s important to look back at the strides we’ve taken. We’ve changed our perspective of the microbiome from health and disease to the overall effect on the body. We have developed technologies that can quantify the bacteria in the microbiome. And perhaps the most important, we’ve come to find a connection between the gut microbiome and the brain.
Research has shown why it’s important to look at the bacteria in all parts of the digestive tract. Scientists were able to isolate the fecal and colonic microbiomes to find a method of predicting digestive symptoms. However, this method was unable to account for SIBO, which is located in the small intestine. Gaining an understanding of how the bacteria in each part of the digestive tract function and correlate will be focused on in 2020.
The gut microbiome has also been utilized as a way of creating precise treatments in lieu of a general treatment plan. A study in 2019 allowed for the diagnosis of IBS in pediatric cases with 80% accuracy. Studies are able to help us predict how our body will react to changes in diet and exercise based on our microbiomes. They can also help us determine the bacteria profile of IBS and other digestive diseases.
While most of what we know about the gut-brain relationship comes from animal studies, the results are undeniable. Researchers created a list of 56 compounds created in the gut that have an effect on mental health. They also connected depression and quality of life scores to the gut microbiota in two separate populations.
Future Studies
While research on the bacteria in the gut is bountiful, there is still much we don’t know about the fungi inside us. We don’t yet understand how the bacteria and fungi function together, and how that impacts the gut. We also don’t understand how the fungi contribute to a healthy gut microbiome. However, knowing what we have to look at next is half the battle. Now that we’ve gained insight into the gut, we can understand where we need to direct our research next.
To read the original article, please click here. Credit goes to Dr. Peter D’Adamo for finding the article.
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