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Modern city dwellers have lost about half their gut microbes

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Re: Modern city dwellers have lost about half their gut microbes

#3
post #2

Could this explain trends like increasing food allergies in countries where more and more people are becoming urban dwellers?

It's not impossible, and it might even be plausible... But it's a really, really difficult question.

People outside of science: don't make the mistake of thinking that scientists haven't thought about this before! haha

Re: Modern city dwellers have lost about half their gut microbes

#4
About ten years ago my former PI (second author in the below paper) did quite a job on this in Burkina Faso, analyzing the composition of the gut in children living outside cities, in cities, and a comparison with European children.

Obligatory disclaimer: I was working in his laboratory at the time, but I wasn't involved in that research.

https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1005963107

Re: Modern city dwellers have lost about half their gut microbes

#8
"Moeller and others also suggest identifying the missing microbes may be the first step toward bringing them back. “If we determine that these groups were providing important functions to keep humans healthy,” Maccaro says, “perhaps we can restore them with probiotics.”

Oh really? Nice submarine for Actimel, Yakult etc.

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