Liam Shaw and Nigel Klein’s article give an in-depth explanation of the microbiome and its effects. Simply stated, the microbiome is the microorganisms that live in human’s bodies. Babies form their microbiome starting at birth when they exit the vaginal canal and contact vaginal microbiota. Newborns are then exposed to many bacteria from the environment that they were not exposed to in the womb. These bacteria stay with the child as they grow, constantly changing and shifting when exposed to different microorganisms. The microbiome also has many important functions. It helps with the development of the immune system, helps babies digest breast milk, helps form resistance to harmful bacteria, and many other functions. Antibiotics can greatly affect the microbiome, especially when used as a child, possibly causing autoimmune diseases as the microbiome helps form the immune system form and function. Additionally, antibiotic use can make the microbiome less diverse.
Recent research has shown how the microbiome and its disruption can lead to diseases, but it can also help with aging. Jenna Sternberg writes about how microbiota could speed up Alzheimer’s disease progression. Certain protein clumps in the brain are found when a person is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. The immune system normally helps rid these clumps with the help of microglia; however, microglia can actually worsen the clumps when they release high levels of inflammatory chemicals. To show this, scientists gave antibiotics to rats, changing their microbiota, and found that their microglia did not release too much inflammatory chemicals to worsen the clumps. However, when the microbes were reintroduced, the clumps were restored and more inflammation chemicals were released in excess, showing that microbiota affects the immune system and Alzheimer’s progression. A study at Nanyang Technological University found that changing diet could slow the aging process as it pertains to the microbiome. When microbiome from old mice was placed in young mice, increased butyrate was produced, which effects energy, metabolism, and neurogenesis. Thus, it is possible that butyrate, which is made through microbial fermentation in the GI tract, could help heal and repair spinal damage and diminish aging and cognitive decline that comes along with it.
I strongly believe that the microbiome may be one of the most important factors in a person’s body. It is necessary to keep a healthy microbiome for many reasons. Not only can it help the immune system function better, but it can also slow aging. Additionally, I think helping your child develop a healthy microbiome is essential so that they live a long and healthy life. Though people want to keep their children healthy, they should be exposed to the world so they become acquainted with new microbes, especially non-pathogenic ones. Then, children’s immune systems will be more developed and can prevent disease from disruptions in microbiota. I also think it is necessary to not request antibiotics every time someone gets sick. Antibiotics can do more harm than help when used inappropriately, especially pertaining to microbiota. The human microbiome is essential to remain happy and healthy, especially if you want to stay young as long as possible.
Micro Madness 