January 19, 2016 at 13:26A scientific approach to exploring a rich inner world
Here you are sitting with an iPad, scroll through the news feed and may even feel like a lonely person. So, we have two news for you, good and good. Firstly, you are not quite human, and secondly, you are not completely alone.
A person consists of human cells by 50% . Everything else - the bacteria that inhabit our body on the surface and from the inside, like people inhabit the planet Earth, but with the big difference that bacteria do not bring so much destruction, but rather on the contrary, they help their planet.
Communities of bacteria are called microbiota. There are microbiota of the skin, oral cavity, upper respiratory tract, genitals and the most interesting for us - intestinal microbiota. It includes more than a thousand species of bacteria, whose total genome is 1000 times larger than the human. All these data are investigated by the Human Microbiome Project , with every day the amount of knowledge about the microbiota grows exponentially. There are already research results that can be put into practice.
Now we know that it is the intestinal microflora that plays an important role in the digestive system and the metabolism of vitamins and minerals (some of which are absorbed only by microbiota). It is the intestinal microbiota that performs the protective functions of the body - 70% of our immunity depends on intestinal bacteria. And if something went wrong, then it is the composition of the intestinal microbiota that can cause autoimmune diseases, obesity, type 2 diabetes, depression, etc.
But let's end with horror stories. The most interesting thing in this story is that the composition of your microbiota can be changed. It is affected by every pack of chips eaten and a drunk glass of kefir made this morning, the ecology of your home and your city, treatment with antibiotics and other medicines - in a word, every day of your life in a metropolis can change your microbiota for better or for worse.
Screening DNA tests are gaining more and more popularity. The genetic test provides information about the “starter kit” that you receive from birth, but which you cannot change (yet). And the genetic test of your microbiota will give not only data on its current state, but also allow you to change the composition of bacteria in a healthier direction. As soon as the changes take effect (it will take about two weeks), you can once again pass the test and check how well the selected therapy works.
For this case, the Atlas biomedical holding, together with Knomix and experts from the FHM Research Institute, launched the Ohmygut research project. This is a molecular analysis of the intestinal microbiota, which examines the genes of intestinal bacteria and determines their composition and ratio. The data obtained can be compared with the "portraits" of the microbiota of healthy people and patients with various diseases, from acute colitis to obesity and diabetes. Such data will help to see negative trends in microbiota changes, determine optimal nutritional recommendations or start preventive therapy at an early stage. And the success of the chosen treatment can always be checked by repeated testing.
At the first stage, the OhmyGut project works in crowdfunding mode. This is an opportunity for our laboratory to collect the required amount of biomaterial for the Russian population, and for each of the participants to undergo a study at the price of the necessary chemicals (this is 5,000 rubles for a double test and a rare opportunity to support Russian science with practical benefit for itself). The test includes two test tubes, a questionnaire and nutritional advice from a nutritionist and nutritionist.
At the entire stage of the experiment, we will keep in touch with each part of the experiment. Actually, this is another important profit for crowdfunding organizers: to deal with interested users for the period of beta testing.
To save a picture of the initial state of the microbiota, each participant passes the first test (yes, this is a stool analysis). This is followed by a survey, according to which the nutritionist makes recommendations on diet. You start a new life diet from Monday, and after two weeks, re-take the test for microbiota.
The tubes are sent to the laboratory, and after two weeks you receive a detailed report on the composition of the “was / was” microbiota, an assessment of the effectiveness of the chosen diet and updated nutritional recommendations. By the way, this is an excellent occasion to check on nutrition theories that are of interest to you: these two weeks you can follow the recommended diet, and then see how it really affects you.
As a result, each participant will go home with a full statistician about which diet is preferred for him, and the OhmyGut team will receive their necessary 100+ tubes with biomaterial, user feedback and an important launch experience, which we will talk about.
Join the project on Boomstarter and come to discuss it in the comment - we will answer everyone.
Briefly about the microbiota
A person consists of human cells by 50% . Everything else - the bacteria that inhabit our body on the surface and from the inside, like people inhabit the planet Earth, but with the big difference that bacteria do not bring so much destruction, but rather on the contrary, they help their planet.
Communities of bacteria are called microbiota. There are microbiota of the skin, oral cavity, upper respiratory tract, genitals and the most interesting for us - intestinal microbiota. It includes more than a thousand species of bacteria, whose total genome is 1000 times larger than the human. All these data are investigated by the Human Microbiome Project , with every day the amount of knowledge about the microbiota grows exponentially. There are already research results that can be put into practice.
Now we know that it is the intestinal microflora that plays an important role in the digestive system and the metabolism of vitamins and minerals (some of which are absorbed only by microbiota). It is the intestinal microbiota that performs the protective functions of the body - 70% of our immunity depends on intestinal bacteria. And if something went wrong, then it is the composition of the intestinal microbiota that can cause autoimmune diseases, obesity, type 2 diabetes, depression, etc.
And what to do with it
But let's end with horror stories. The most interesting thing in this story is that the composition of your microbiota can be changed. It is affected by every pack of chips eaten and a drunk glass of kefir made this morning, the ecology of your home and your city, treatment with antibiotics and other medicines - in a word, every day of your life in a metropolis can change your microbiota for better or for worse.
Screening DNA tests are gaining more and more popularity. The genetic test provides information about the “starter kit” that you receive from birth, but which you cannot change (yet). And the genetic test of your microbiota will give not only data on its current state, but also allow you to change the composition of bacteria in a healthier direction. As soon as the changes take effect (it will take about two weeks), you can once again pass the test and check how well the selected therapy works.
Russian OhmyGut test
For this case, the Atlas biomedical holding, together with Knomix and experts from the FHM Research Institute, launched the Ohmygut research project. This is a molecular analysis of the intestinal microbiota, which examines the genes of intestinal bacteria and determines their composition and ratio. The data obtained can be compared with the "portraits" of the microbiota of healthy people and patients with various diseases, from acute colitis to obesity and diabetes. Such data will help to see negative trends in microbiota changes, determine optimal nutritional recommendations or start preventive therapy at an early stage. And the success of the chosen treatment can always be checked by repeated testing.
Experimental Biotechnological Crowdfunding
At the first stage, the OhmyGut project works in crowdfunding mode. This is an opportunity for our laboratory to collect the required amount of biomaterial for the Russian population, and for each of the participants to undergo a study at the price of the necessary chemicals (this is 5,000 rubles for a double test and a rare opportunity to support Russian science with practical benefit for itself). The test includes two test tubes, a questionnaire and nutritional advice from a nutritionist and nutritionist.
At the entire stage of the experiment, we will keep in touch with each part of the experiment. Actually, this is another important profit for crowdfunding organizers: to deal with interested users for the period of beta testing.
To save a picture of the initial state of the microbiota, each participant passes the first test (yes, this is a stool analysis). This is followed by a survey, according to which the nutritionist makes recommendations on diet. You start a new life diet from Monday, and after two weeks, re-take the test for microbiota.
The tubes are sent to the laboratory, and after two weeks you receive a detailed report on the composition of the “was / was” microbiota, an assessment of the effectiveness of the chosen diet and updated nutritional recommendations. By the way, this is an excellent occasion to check on nutrition theories that are of interest to you: these two weeks you can follow the recommended diet, and then see how it really affects you.
As a result, each participant will go home with a full statistician about which diet is preferred for him, and the OhmyGut team will receive their necessary 100+ tubes with biomaterial, user feedback and an important launch experience, which we will talk about.
Join the project on Boomstarter and come to discuss it in the comment - we will answer everyone.