The microbiome is a community of microorganisms, and are found throughout the body such as the skin, respiratory tract and gut. You may be familiar with one of largest ones within our body, the microbiome in the gut. Here lives many microorganisms, both bad and good. The “good” microorganisms actually help us in many ways, such as synthesizing vitamins, aiding in digestion, and competing in competition with bad pathogens. I think that many people have a bad perception on microorganisms, I mean, who wouldn’t? Everywhere in the media you hear about all of these diseases and infections that are becoming more prevalent because of these bad pathogens that you can’t even see and are becoming resistant to antibiotics. But what they don’t talk about are the good ones that actually live in huge numbers inside of you, and that make up basically what you are today.
There have been many studies that have proven that the microbiome has been linked to certain diseases or infections. For example, dysbiosis within the gut may cause irritable bowel syndrome, and studies have shown that with using fecal transplantation, which is the transferring of fecal matter from a healthy person to an unhealthy person with irritable bowel syndrome, the normal flora will replace the pre-existing microbiome within the diseased person and “cure” their irritable bowel syndrome. Studies within animal microbiomes have also helped us learn more about the relationship between our own microbiomes and other parts of he body. Many animal studies have strengthened the link between microbes and mental health such as depression, which gives us a better understanding of the importance of the microbiome’s role is within our body. Just like how the microbiota can help us, it can also potentially harm us if we do not properly treat it with care.
One study had explained the increasing global prevalence of chronic upper airway inflammatory respiratory diseases such as chronic rhinosinusitis and allergic rhinitis. Dysbiosis within the nasal microbiome due to increase usage of antibiotics and a high-fat low-fiber diet are mainly the causes to these prevalence, and a restoration of a healthy nasal microbiota can reverse it. Commensal upper respiratory microbiota has been reported to have beneficial effects for health, such as “removing or inhibiting pathogens, enhancing epithelial barrier integrity by the modulation of signaling pathways, and controlling local and systemic host immune responses” . Probiotics have been looked at to restore dysbiosis so that the beneficial functions of the good micoorganisms can continue. The usage of probiotics involves the oral intake of live organisms that can contribute to the healthy microbiome. In taking probiotics, patients with the above diseases find themselves improving their epithelial barrier integrity as well as their symptoms and signs, due to the competition the bad pathogens have to face with the good microorganisms.
Overall, microorganisms aren’t just “bad” for us. We have many communities within our bodies full of microorganisms, with the majority of them actually helping us in defining our overall health and preventing diseases and infections.
Virulent Girl 