What if I told you that countless tiny beings living inside your body right now were responsible for everything from the health of your gut to your mental health? It sounds crazy. But, that’s exactly what research into the microbiome is showing us.
Tens of trillions of bacteria inhabit our bodies — scientists call them the human microbiome. The past decade or so has seen an explosion of studies linking gut bacteria with all sorts of diseases and conditions, from obesity to schizophrenia. The findings suggest managing our microbiome will help us stay healthy. And to do that, companies have encapsulated live bacteria in pills, called probiotics, that you can buy everywhere from Amazon to the local grocery store. But do they actually work or is all just hype?
The Microbiomes’ Little Helpers
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines probiotics as “live microorganisms which, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host.” In other words, they are live bacteria that help our bodies stay heathy.
