Gut Microbiome · 8 cited studies

Research on the Gut Microbiome

The gut microbiome went from speculative to mainstream in a decade. Sender 2016 (PLOS Biology) revised the bacteria-to-human-cell ratio downward to roughly 1:1 (vs the long-cited 10:1). Ridaura 2013 (Science) showed that mice colonised with the obese twin's microbiota became fatter than mice colonised with the lean twin's — diet-dependent. Rothschild 2018 (Nature) demonstrated that environment, primarily diet, dominates over host genetics in shaping microbial composition. David 2014 (Nature) found dietary shifts alter the microbiome within 24–48 hours. Cani's endotoxemia work links high-fat diets to systemic LPS and inflammation. The Sonnenburg lab's fibre-extinction studies show low-fibre diets cause microbial extinctions that compound across generations. Below: the foundational microbiome literature.