Determinants of the Gut Microbiota

Since the launch of human microbiome project, several research studies on the human gut microbiota have been exploring the association between microbes and human host and revealed the importance of gut microbiota in our well-being. From birth, highly personalized group of microbes colonizes our gastrointestinal tract (gut) that develops in time and coexists with our body. Gut health is not only supported by the diet and human intestine, but also largely supported by the resident microbial members reside in the gut. Many biomedical and clinical research studies have shown the link between the gut microbes and human disease conditions. Any modifications in the composition of the gut microbiota reportedly affect the human health by leading to a variety of conditions including obesity, diabetes, heart disease, autoimmune disease, autism, depression, and anxiety. Generally, a number of external factors such as the mode of delivery (vaginal or cesarean delivery), gestation period (term or preterm), feeding type (breast milk or formula), diet type (Western or Mediterranean), antibiotics use, and internal factors such as host genetics and immune system influence the colonization and composition of gut microbiota. Besides these known factors, other factors such as geography, culture, age, gender, social life, physical exercise, stress and depression, and smoking also play an important role in shaping the gut microbiota. However, more information remains unexplored and warrants utilization of advanced technologies to understand the factors that influence the composition of the gut microbiota and its contributions to host health. Better understanding of these factors will certainly help to build a beneficial human gut microbial community to improve the human health, and design novel microbial interventions to combat certain diseases in future.