MNT’s Sunday Supplement: Is the microbiome another organ?
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Probiotics, prebiotics, and even postbiotics — there’s a buzz around supplements that supposedly improve our health by feeding the bacteria that make us their home.
This week, Medical News Today invited Dr. Petra Hanson and Dr. Thomas M. Barber, researchers based in the United Kingdom, to discuss the microbiome, the marketing hype behind probiotics, and the future direction of research in a new feature: Is the microbiome another organ?
Evidence continues to mount for the crucial role that bacteria play in appetite regulation, the normal development of our immune system, and even healthy aging. Dr. Hanson and Dr. Barber argue that the microbiome’s influence is so profound that we could almost consider it to be another, distinct organ.
Understanding how we might better care for this new organ may bring enormous benefits, perhaps transforming human health on a global scale.
As always, much work still needs doing, but to read some fascinating insights from researchers working out the possibilities, jump to our new feature now.
We’ll be back with our regular daily newsletter tomorrow. Until then, we’d love to hear your thoughts on this email.
Robin Hough
Editor-in-Chief, Medical News Today
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