To raise awareness on this crucial topic, World Microbiome Day, which takes place on June 27th every year, focuses on celebrating the extraordinary role of the microbiome in our lives. This year’s theme is “transforming healthier foods for a healthier planet”. Some microbiomes can actively contribute to creating clean environments, supporting food systems, mitigating climate change, and keeping people healthy. Therefore, it is essential to promote awareness and increase knowledge of the microbiome in society.
Among the various types of microbiota present on Earth, we find the gut microbiota, which is made up of microorganisms that populate the human gastrointestinal tract and play an important role in food digestion and overall health. The particular interest in this group of microorganisms in recent years is due to the fact that studies on the gut microbiome have attracted the attention of many researchers since they have proven useful in understanding the causes of various pathologies, including inflammatory bowel diseases, obesity, and even psychiatric disorders such as depression.
Scientific Research on the Microbiome
Research on the gut microbiome is continuously evolving, and in recent years, significant discoveries have been made on how the microbiome composition influences overall health. For example, it has been demonstrated that gut microbiome diversity is associated with better health, while reduced diversity can lead to an increased risk of disease. Researchers are also trying to understand how the microbiome composition can be influenced by external factors such as the environment, lifestyle, and medication use. This information could be used to develop new strategies for preventing and treating related diseases. The progress made so far suggests that the gut microbiome could represent a new frontier in disease prevention and treatment.
New Types of Analysis
Thanks to Metagenomic analysis, a DNA analysis technique that allows for the study of the entire microbiome rather than analyzing individual bacterial strains, it is possible to identify the presence of specific genes and bacterial functions within the microbiota.
Microbiota genetic tests can be useful for various purposes:
– Identifying the presence of specific bacterial strains to identify the presence of specific bacterial strains associated with inflammatory bowel diseases or other pathologies.
– Analyzing microbiota diversity, i.e., the number and variety of bacterial strains present within the gastrointestinal tract.
– Developing new therapies to identify beneficial bacterial strains for overall health and to develop new therapies based on microbiota modulation.
– Monitoring the effectiveness of therapies to verify the effectiveness of therapies based on microbiota modulation, such as fecal microbiota transplantation.
How to Celebrate this Occasion?
This year, you can also celebrate World Microbiome Day by using the Atlas Microbiome test. With 22 health reports, you can discover the microbial balance and richness of your gut, including the impact on your overall health. Based on these results, you will receive personalized dietary advice to increase beneficial bacteria, cultivate diversity, and harness the power of your microbiome!