When we mention bacteria in a conversation, they are usually in conjunction with whatever disease we are currently suffering from. We desperately try to kill all the bacteria in our immediate presence with antibacterial wipes, hand gel, and antibiotic medications. What we are finally realizing however, is that the bacteria that we thought were oh so bad, are not only good for us, they might actually contribute to a healthy immune system and weight regulation. According to the latest counts, we have about 10 to 1 bacterial cells and microbes to our human cells living in and on our bodies. That's trillions of tiny symbionts! These tiny critters make up what is known as the human microbiome and what we are finally realizing is that they are as important to our health as any exercise or diet regime. We are born sterile creatures, completely pure. We start to acquire microbes when we pass through the birth canal during birth and then continue to add to our collection through breastfeeding, handling by parents, siblings, grandparents, and from every surface in our environment. By the time we are 1, we have one of the most complex micro ecosystems on the planet living in and on our tissues. Scientists finished mapping the human genome- which consists of roughly 20,000-25,000 genes-in 2003, and now groups in the US and in Europe have decided to map the human microbiome. In 2010 the European group announced they had completed a census of the 3.3 million bacterial genes that inhabit our digestive system. That is 150 times more genes than humans have in their entire genome! And that's just the gut bacteria! Needless to say, we are discovering new and exciting details about the bacteria that co-habitate with us everyday. So what is a "good" bacteria and why should I be concerned? Since 1980, scientists have developed the idea that bacteria have some key to our health. When they discovered that the vitamin B12-which we need to regulate cellular energy production, DNA synthesis, and fatty acid synthesis-is only produced by a gut bacteria, they were shocked! We cannot make it ourselves?! That's ridiculous, we are the most complex organisms on the planet, capable of anything! Well lately, scientists have discovered that certain bacteria can also aid in developing our immune system, respiratory system, and maintain a healthy weight. Long story short, we need our bacteria! Case in point is a bacteria called
Bacteroides fragilis that lives in 70-80% of humans that helps boost the anti-inflammatory branch of the immune system and thus, regulates its function. According to a 2010 study, rats grown in a sterile environment without
B. fragilis grew up with dysfunctional, overactive immune systems. When
B. fragilis was introduced back into their environments, their immune systems regulated themselves and returned to a normal status. Unfortunately,
B. fragilis as well as several other bacteria are disappearing from our microbiomes as a result of the changes we have made in our lifestyles in the last century. Greater use of antibiotics, consumption of more processed foods, even cleaner drinking water are changing the make-up of our microbiomes. So why should we be concerned? Because if
B. fragilis disappears completely, we will likely see an increase in autoimmune disorders such as Crohn's disease, Type 1 diabetes, and multiple sclerosis. However, this is only a hypothesis and the correlation between changing human microbiomes and increased incidence of human disease and obesity is just a correlation at this point. What we do know, is that the very delicate balance of microbes in our system is being changed by the lifestyle choices we make. Next time you pop an antibiotic for a minor irritation or sanitize your hands for the 10th time in an hour, or eat some processed food out of a bag or box, think to yourself-do I really need this? Or am I taking the easy way out? What you are putting in your body has very real effects on the populations of bacteria living within us and if we aren't careful-we risk losing our best friends in the world, our friendly bacteria, forever.
