All Things Biology

If you had a freeway billboard, what would it say?

If I had a freeway billboard it would probably say ‘BACTERIA AREN’T ALL BAD’.

Yes you read that right! Bacteria are actually vital for host protection and immune system development (1).

Have you heard of the human microbiome? You may have heard of the gut microbiome as it has been getting lots of media attention lately. A quick search of ‘Microbiomes’ on YouTube brings up a plethora of videos titled ‘how to heal your gut microbiome’ and ‘probiotics for a healthy gut’.

But did you know that it’s not just your gut which has a microbiome? You also have a skin microbiome, vaginal microbiome and more. And microbiomes aren’t just made up of bacteria but actually consist of bacteria, archaea, fungi, protists, and viruses! A balance of each component of the microbiome is vital for our health.

Fun fact: each persons microbiome is unique, as the microbiota is originally determined by your DNA and our microbiomes are so important to our health that it’s actually been labelled as a supporting organ (2).

The microbiome can be put out of balance through taking antibiotics as this destroys the good bacteria, reducing competition for potentially harmful microorganisms and therefore resulting in increased growth of harmful microorganisms (3) like Candida Albicans (the culprit for most yeast infections). This is why when you take a heavy course of antibiotics you might experience side effects like fungal infections or abdominal discomfort (which may not always go away after finishing your antibiotics course).

So next time you take a course of antibiotics, consider supporting your microbiome and all the bacteria within by taking additional pre and pro biotics (maybe even add a probiotic yoghurt to your breakfast).

Written by Francesca Giannachi-Kaye

References:

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4566439/#:~:text=Host%20Protection%20and%20Immune%2Dsystem%20Development&text=Bacteria%20are%20integral%20to%20the,in%20life%20in%20its%20operation.

2. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/microbiome/#:~:text=The%20microbiome%20is%20even%20labeled,originally%20determined%20by%20one’s%20DNA.

3. https://www.forbes.com/health/body/signs-of-unhealthy-gut-improve-gut-health/#:~:text=However%2C%20although%20good%20bacteria%20and,can%20throw%20off%20the%20entire