117758 - When your patients ask about probiotics - what every clinician needs to know
- : Online
The human microbiome is defined as “the ecological community of commensal, symbiotic, and pathogenic microorganisms that literally share our body space.” The microbiota is composed of microorganisms including bacteria, viruses, fungi and protozoa that reside on and in the human body and contains approximately 38 trillion microbial cells. The microbiome is defined as the community of all micro-organisms and their genes.
The microbiome is mostly located at entrance points to the body, which are directly exposed to the external environment e.g. skin, GI, respiratory and urogenital tracts. As a result, the microbiota are the ‘first responders’ to exposure to food, water and medications.
Probiotic, prebiotic and synbiotic administration can help selectively modify the microbiome.