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Each of us is colonized, inside and out, by microorganisms — more than 3 pounds of microorganisms in our gut, and many more on our skin. In fact, we harbor 10 microbial cells for every 1 of our own cells. If our microbial partners were merely fellow travelers with no effects on our health, their invisible presence would be of little interest. However, we have known for a long time that gut bacteria do affect our health.
Gut microbes produce molecules that travel through the enterohepatic circulation or breach damaged gut barriers; these microbial molecules include anti-inflammatory factors, analgesic compounds, antioxidants, and vitamins. In addition, toxins produced by gut bacteria can cause serious disease. In recent years, surprising evid…