Can We Use Bacteria to Treat Diseases? | Nat Geo Live

In the intestines alone, the average person houses around 100 trillion microbes, and for every human cell in the body there are 10 microbial cells—making us more microbial than human. Scientific studies are beginning to show that these bacteria may be playing a much larger role in our lives than we originally thought. It appears that microbes may be influencing our brain and behavior, and many conditions, including schizophrenia, depression, and autism, have been linked to microbial abnormalities within the body. Elaine Hsiao, a 2015 National Geographic emerging explorer, is working on the cutting edge of this science to better understand how our microbiota influences our health. Is it possible that in the future we could treat health conditions with the right microbes?

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Can We Use Bacteria to Treat Diseases? | Nat Geo Live

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[arimagoo]

Looking forward to finding out more about this, fascinating !

[bornjusticerule]

that picture at 3000 times zoom is awesome!

[Lines]

A great deal of our gut biome is responsible for many aspects of our health. The latest thing is trying to repopulate the flora lost as we age or from damage caused by our diets.

[kauanrafael]

Quem é do brasil dá like. aki é brasileiro.

[CelibateCetologist]

While I am impressed, some of these "diseases" aren't that, they're mental disabilities or disorders. And it seems to me like the idea behind using these microbes on our brains is a means of "righting wrongs, " when the neurology of those disabilities aren't wrong in the first place. It's a different way for the brain to function which isn't necessarily a bad thing even though it can be difficult at times. There's a lot of underlying ableism here, even that isn't the intention.

I might be more partial to the kind of treatment if it were used in the same way medication is. Not to cure, but to assist.