WEBVTT 00:00:08.000 --> 00:00:12.203 The human body is host to billions of microorganisms. 00:00:12.984 --> 00:00:16.850 The number of microorganisms that live in and on the body 00:00:16.853 --> 00:00:19.937 is greater than the total number of human body cells. 00:00:20.677 --> 00:00:24.000 These tiny organisms don’t harm the body 00:00:24.000 --> 00:00:26.000 – in fact, some are even beneficial. 00:00:26.896 --> 00:00:29.289 The collective name for all of these microorganisms 00:00:29.292 --> 00:00:31.474 is the “microbiome”. 00:00:31.841 --> 00:00:35.000 Most of the microbiome consists of bacteria, 00:00:35.000 --> 00:00:37.156 with the majority of these living in the gut. 00:00:37.524 --> 00:00:40.477 These are commonly called gut flora. 00:00:41.031 --> 00:00:43.897 These minuscule helpers are also abundant on 00:00:43.900 --> 00:00:46.823 the skin, in the mouth and in the vagina in women. 00:00:47.815 --> 00:00:50.000 They carry out important tasks, 00:00:50.000 --> 00:00:52.722 such as suppressing disease-causing pathogens. 00:00:53.377 --> 00:00:55.883 They also play an important role in vitamin production 00:00:55.886 --> 00:00:59.568 and in the functioning of the immune system. 00:01:00.396 --> 00:01:02.619 External factors such as nutrition 00:01:02.622 --> 00:01:05.653 influence the composition of an individual’s microbiome. 00:01:06.567 --> 00:01:08.997 For example, the method of a person’s birth 00:01:09.000 --> 00:01:11.277 helps shape the microbiome, and there are also 00:01:11.280 --> 00:01:14.522 differences between breast-fed and bottle-fed babies. 00:01:15.826 --> 00:01:19.466 The microbiome also changes later in life, 00:01:19.469 --> 00:01:21.722 and is influenced primarily by nutritional intake. 00:01:21.725 --> 00:01:25.066 The food we eat determines which microorganisms 00:01:25.069 --> 00:01:27.384 can multiply in our bodies and which cannot. 00:01:27.829 --> 00:01:31.000 A varied diet including plenty of vegetables and 00:01:31.000 --> 00:01:33.826 whole-grain bread is the best way to achieve a 00:01:33.829 --> 00:01:36.407 healthy and biodiverse microbiome. 00:01:37.400 --> 00:01:40.940 A high-fat, high-sugar diet, on the other hand, 00:01:40.943 --> 00:01:43.854 prevents more beneficial bacteria from thriving 00:01:43.857 --> 00:01:46.988 and leads to less biodiversity overall. 00:01:48.000 --> 00:01:50.346 As well as nutrition, smoking, 00:01:50.349 --> 00:01:54.048 stress, and medication also help shape the microbiome. 00:01:54.673 --> 00:01:58.686 Antibiotic drugs play an especially important role 00:01:58.689 --> 00:02:00.889 because many antibiotics not only work 00:02:00.892 --> 00:02:03.000 against disease-causing bacteria 00:02:03.000 --> 00:02:05.279 but also against good bacteria. 00:02:06.099 --> 00:02:08.729 As a result, taking antibiotics can wreak havoc 00:02:08.732 --> 00:02:11.825 with the bacterial balance in the microbiome. 00:02:12.490 --> 00:02:14.000 If this balance is disrupted 00:02:14.000 --> 00:02:16.811 and the biodiversity of the microbiome is reduced, 00:02:16.814 --> 00:02:19.578 there may be negative effects on the person’s health. 00:02:20.172 --> 00:02:22.569 For example, they may become more likely 00:02:22.572 --> 00:02:24.702 to contract infectious illnesses or conditions, 00:02:24.705 --> 00:02:26.813 including diarrhea and skin problems. 00:02:29.039 --> 00:02:30.417 To recap: 00:02:31.034 --> 00:02:33.735 • All of the microorganisms living in and on 00:02:33.738 --> 00:02:36.535 the human body are collectively known as the “microbiome”. 00:02:37.000 --> 00:02:39.929 • These microorganisms support the body 00:02:39.932 --> 00:02:41.801 in many important ways, 00:02:41.804 --> 00:02:44.718 such as protecting itself against pathogens. 00:02:45.695 --> 00:02:48.701 • The composition of the microbiome is variable 00:02:48.704 --> 00:02:51.000 and is shaped by a person’s lifestyle, 00:02:51.000 --> 00:02:54.369 with nutrition playing an especially important role. 00:02:55.361 --> 00:02:57.796 • An imbalance in the microbiome, 00:02:57.799 --> 00:03:00.655 for example, due to the taking of antibiotics, 00:03:00.658 --> 00:03:03.734 may lead to health issues.