The relationship between gut microbes and human health is a
hot research area now. Considering the
number of gut microbes in one’s gut out numbers the total number of the human cells
in one’s body by 10 to 1, it only makes sense that whatever the problems we
might have, our gut microbes got to have something to do with it. Many researches later, that seems to be true.
In a previous post (Feb. 5, 2014), I discussed the
relationship between the gut microbe and obesity, i.e., bad gut microbes can
cause obesity. Researchers have made
additional discoveries about this relationship.
In a recent article published in the journal Cell, research suggests that
our genes influences whether we are fat or thin by shaping which types of
microbes thrive in our gut.
In the
study, funded by National Institutes of Health (NIH), researchers sequenced the
genes of microbes found in more than 1,000 fecal samples from 416 pairs of
twins. The abundances of specific types of microbes were found to be more
similar in identical twins, who share 100 per cent of their genes, than in
non-identical twins, who share on average only half of the genes that vary
between people. These findings demonstrate that genes influence the composition
of gut microbes.
In
addition, the researchers reported that host genetics have the most influence on
a type of health-promoting bacterial family, which is more abundant in
individuals with a low body weight than in obese individuals. When the researchers treated mice with this
microbe, the treated mice gained less weight than untreated mice, suggesting
that increasing the amounts of this microbe may help to prevent or reduce
obesity.
Up
until now, variation in the abundances of gut microbes has been explained by
diet (the consumption of insoluble fibers vs highly processed food), the
environment, lifestyle (such as exercising), medical conditions (such as antibiotics
use) and even health. This is the first study establishing that certain types
of gut microbes are heritable -- that their variation across a population is in
part due to host gene variation, not just environmental influences. Therefore, nature does work together with nurture
to decide what and how we are.
Journal Reference: Julia K. Goodrich, Jillian L. Waters,
Angela C. Poole, Jessica L. Sutter, Omry Koren, Ran Blekhman, Michelle
Beaumont, William Van Treuren, Rob Knight, Jordana T. Bell, Timothy D. Spector,
Andrew G. Clark, Ruth E. Ley. Human Genetics Shape the Gut Microbiome. Cell,
2014; 159 (4): 789 DOI:10.1016/j.cell.2014.09.053
Thanks for reading.
Connie
Connie@cherruby.com
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