Advantages of Microbiota: Immunity, Nutrition, and Behavior Effects

This report comprehensively examines the advantages of microbiota within the human body. It highlights the significance of microbiota, comprising fungi, viruses, and bacteria, particularly those residing in the gut, for maintaining overall health. The report details the symbiotic relationship between hosts and microbes, emphasizing the benefits for both. It explores microbiota's critical roles in immunity, nutrition, and influencing behavior and brain function. The report discusses how gut microbes aid in nutrient absorption, break down complex molecules, and contribute to the development of immunity. It also touches upon the relationship between bacterial populations and various diseases, including autism, colitis, and diabetes, concluding that the advantages of microbiota greatly outweigh the disadvantages. The report references several studies to support its claims.

Running head: ADVANTAGES OF MICROBIOTA 1
Advantages of Microbiota
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ADVANTAGES OF MICROBIOTA 2
Advantages of Microbiota
The human body consists of numerous microbiota of approximately 100 trillion. The
number of microbes is more that of body cells. The microbiomes include fungi, viruses, and
bacteria. Most of the microbes are found in the genitals, skin and the largest number in the gut.
Microbial cells together with their genetic components survive in the human body right from
when people are born. Subsequently, this relation is fundamental to maintain normal health. This
paper extensively analyses the importance of microbiota especially those that reside in the
human body.
Microbiota is vital for immunity, nutrition and effects on behavior and the brain. The
symbiotic relationship is beneficial to both hosts and microbes as long as a healthy state of the
body is maintained. Bacteria found in the gut are both harmful and useful. Harmful bacteria get
into systems leading to infections. Some of the infections are food poisoning and GI diseases
which result in vomiting and diarrhea (Glick-Bauer and Yeh, 2014). Each persons' gut
microbiota is unique. Subsequently, this contributes to how people digest food, fight diseases,
and their psychological processes and mood.
Microbiota has numerous benefits to the human body. Conventionally, microorganisms
evolve alongside humans, therefore, forming a basic part of life as they carry out important
functions. Microbiota is implicated in both disease and health. Contemporary research reveals
that there exists a relationship between bacterial populations and various diseases (Ericsson and
Franklin, 2015). The bacterial population can either be disturbed or normal. Some of the diseases
that have links with bacterial population include autism, colitis, multiple sclerosis, malnutrition,
cancer, and heart disease. Others are asthma, celiac disease, eczema, obesity, and diabetes.

ADVANTAGES OF MICROBIOTA 3
Human microbiome or microbiota have a critical influence on various aspects which are
vital to health. These areas are behavior, immunity, disease, and nutrition. In nutrition, gut
microbes help in the absorption of energy from food. Gut microbiota also aids human beings to
take in nutrients. Additionally, gut bacteria is imperative in assisting in the breaking down of
complex molecules in vegetables and meat (Nguyen et al., 2015). Cellulose from plants is
indigestible without the help of gut microbiota. Gut microbes are necessary for the body because
they utilize their metabolic activities to influence the feeling of being full and food cravings.
Consequently, microbiota is paramount to humans as they facilitate the development of
immunity (Conlon & Bird, 2014). The human body develops its microbiome from the time a
person is born. Human beings acquire the first microbes at an early stage. According to Engel
and Moran (2013), this occurs when humans enter their mother's cervix. It would be impossible
for adaptive immunity to exist devoid of these microbial guests. Adaptive immunity is a
significant defense mechanism which is responsible for learning how to react to microbes when
it encounters them. Therefore, this enables a swift and more efficient response or reaction to
organisms that cause diseases. Rodents which completely lack microorganisms reveal various
pathological effects (Engel and Moran, 2013). They also have underdeveloped immune systems.
Microbiota is advantageous as they relate to autoimmune allergies and conditions that develop
whenever microbe's exposure is disturbed.
Human microbiome or microbiotas have an important influence in disease. According to
Conlon and Bird (2014), bacterial populations usually found in the gastrointestinal system play a
significant role in providing insights into various gut conditions. These conditions include IBD,
inflammatory bowel diseases like ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease (Melkumyan et al.,
2015). Lower microbial diversity, especially in the gut, is linked to IBD, type 2 diabetes and

ADVANTAGES OF MICROBIOTA 4
obesity. The genetics of gut microbiota affects cognitive function, brain development, and
energy balance (Okazaki et al., 2013). Microbiota in human beings is essential in fighting
intestinal overgrowth more so of populations that are externally produced and would cause
disease. Good bacteria fight bad bacteria by secreting anti-inflammatory compounds which are
helpful to the human body.
In conclusion, microbiota is beneficial as it influences certain key behaviors. For
instance, microbiomes affect the behavior of the brain that is greatly involved in digestion
activities. Most of the microbes are found in the genitals, skin and the largest number in the gut.
Microbial cells together with their genetic components survive in the human body right from
when people are born. Some researchers, therefore, refer to gut microbiota as a second brain.
Various activities of gut microbes release small molecules which trigger responses of nerves that
are found in the gastrointestinal tract. Contemporary research reveals that there exist links
between gut bacteria and psychological disorders like ASD (autistic spectrum disorder) and
depression. Nevertheless, the advantages of microbiota outweigh the disadvantages.

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References
Conlon, M. A., & Bird, A. R. (2014). The impact of diet and lifestyle on gut microbiota and
human health. Nutrients, 7(1), 17-44.
Engel, P., & Moran, N. A. (2013). The gut microbiota of insects–diversity in structure and
function. FEMS microbiology reviews, 37(5), 699-735.
Ericsson, A. C., & Franklin, C. L. (2015). Manipulating the gut microbiota: methods and
challenges. ILAR journal, 56(2), 205-217.
Glick-Bauer, M., & Yeh, M. C. (2014). The health advantage of a vegan diet: exploring the gut
microbiota connection. Nutrients, 6(11), 4822-4838.
Melkumyan, A. R., Priputnevich, T. V., Ankirskaya, A. S., Murav’eva, V. V., & Lubasovskaya,
L. A. (2015). Effects of antibiotic treatment on the lactobacillus composition of vaginal
microbiota. Bulletin of experimental biology and medicine, 158(6), 766-768.
Nguyen, T. L. A., Vieira-Silva, S., Liston, A., & Raes, J. (2015). How informative is the mouse
for human gut microbiota research?. Disease models & mechanisms, 8(1), 1-16.
Okazaki, T., Chikuma, S., Iwai, Y., Fagarasan, S., & Honjo, T. (2013). A rheostat for immune
responses: the unique properties of PD-1 and their advantages for clinical
application. Nature immunology, 14(12), 1212.