Microbiome

Microbiomes are complex communities of microbes that naturally live on or inside our bodies that include bacteria, fungi, viruses, and other organisms. Each part of the body has a different community of microbes. For example, the bacteria in the gut help digestion and the bacteria on the skin help moisturize the skin. There are as many microbes in the body as there are human cells. Microbes are necessary for the manufacture of essential amino acids, vitamins, and neurotransmitter precursors and essential to proper functioning of the immune system. Environmental exposures such as antibiotics or toxic chemicals can disrupt microbiomes in the body and result in conditions such as diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular and neurological diseases, allergies, and inflammatory bowel disease.