The idea of “good” and “bad” bacteria is often used by probiotic drinks companies, but is it actually accurate?
A new peer-reviewed paper published in Nature Microbiology counts this notion as a common microbiome misconception.
"(Microbes that are) deleterious in one context may cause no harm in another."
This is echoed by the scientists behind the “Microbiome Mutiny Hypothesis”. They explain how the “pathogenic” microbes that cause health problems in old age have actually lived in peaceful harmony with us for their whole life.
"...the amount of harm it (a microbe) causes–can itself evolve over time."
Therefore, this suggests that microbes are not inherently good or bad, and their behaviour depends more on the overall health of the system,
But why is this important?
Well, there is currently a “mass extinction” happening on the human microbiome which has been linked to the chronic disease epidemic.
Therefore, could it be more important to find solutions that focus on improving overall ecosystem health, instead of focusing on eliminating or supporting specific microbes?
