The Gut Microbiome

The gut microbiome is the collection of microorganisms, including bacteria, archaea, viruses and fungi, found within the gut and their overall genetic information. Our gut microbiota has broad effects on our health and well-being, impacting our immune system and metabolism, detoxifying various ingested components, and even affecting behavior. Changes in gut microbiota composition are correlated with different life stages, diet and geographical location, exercise, use of antibiotics and a wide range of disease states. In the next years, this rapidly growing research field is likely to provide more detailed mechanisms on how the gut microbiome affects the host in these different conditions.