Practical and discreet, tampons and menstrual cups are widely used by women during their period. But there's a downside, especially when these devices aren't changed regularly: blood stagnates, creating a favorable environment for bacteria to multiply. And if the bacteria include S. aureus, there is a risk of menstrual TSS.

Often found on the skin, but more rarely in the vagina, S. aureus secretes a particularly virulent toxin capable of attacking our most vital organs, such as the liver, kidneys and lungs. It all starts with a high fever and/or rash, sometimes accompanied by a drop in blood pressure. In cases where the toxin reaches the organs and causes them to fail, coma and death are possible. ¹

Simple steps to avoid menstrual TSS

Fortunately, menstrual TSS is rare. Today, 1 to 3 out of every 100,000 women using intravaginal devices (tampons, cups) are thought to be affected in the United States. Far fewer than in the 1980s, when the marketing of highly absorbent carboxymethylcellulose tampons led to an epidemic of cases (10 women per 100,000). Their withdrawal in favor of cellulose or cotton fiber tampons has helped bring the numbers down. ²

The role of vaginal microbiota

Finally, a recent study suggests that vaginal microbiota also play a part in prevention. ¹ Not all women have the same vaginal microbiota, and there are five main types:

• Three are considered healthy, dominated by Lactobacillus crispatus, L. gasseri and L. jensenii, respectively; 
• one is considered a transitional state, dominated by L. iners ; 
• one is deemed unbalanced, composed of a wide variety of bacteria including Gardnerella vaginalis, and associated with bacterial vaginosis.

A recent study shows that the last two types could make TSS more likely. Conversely, microbiota dominated by L. crispatus, L. gasseri and L. jensenii seem to be protective, because they acidify the vaginal environment (which S. aureus does not appreciate), and probably also via other complex mechanisms. The bacterium L. jensenii is particularly protective. The study even sees it as a potential probiotic for women who have already experienced TSS and want to prevent a recurrence.

High fever and rash, hypotension and even multiple organ failure: although rare, menstrual TSS can be life-threatening for the women affected, often young girls. At the heart of this infection is the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus, which produces the toxin TSST-1 (toxic shock syndrome toxin-1). The production of this toxin depends on the vaginal environment: favorable conditions include the presence of oxygen (increased by tampons and cups), a low concentration of glucose, and a neutral pH. Hence the protective role of the vaginal microbiota, characterized by a prominence of lactobacilli, which acidify the vaginal environment.

But the drop in estrogen and the lower concentration of vaginal glucose (linked to loss of mucous membrane) at the onset of menstruation reduce the abundance of these lactobacilli. Could these conditions make menstrual TSS more likely? To find out more, researchers ¹ simulated different vaginal environments in vitro to measure their effects on TSST-1 production.

Mimicking vaginal flora in vitro

Before delving further into the experiments conducted, let's recall that in women, five major types of vaginal flora (community state types or CST) have been identified:

• Three are considered healthy, dominated by Lactobacillus crispatus (CST-I), L. gasseri (CST-II) and L. jensenii (CST-V), ; 
• one is considered transitional, dominated by L. iners (CST-III) ; 
• and one is deemed dysbiotic and associated with bacterial vaginosis, composed of a polymicrobial community including Gardnerella vaginalis (CST-IV). 

The researchers therefore created vaginal environments representative of these five types and varied the glucose concentrations in them. 

Protective conditions and bacteria

At high sugar concentrations, toxin production by S. aureus was greatly reduced, repressed by carbon catabolite control protein A (CcpA). But vaginal microbiota also seemed to play an important role. A comparison of the different flora types shows that toxin production may be increased when the flora is transitional (III) or dysbiotic (IV); these two flora types may also promote the inflammation generated by S. aureus.

Conversely, L. crispatus and L. jensenii limited toxin production, whether in the presence or absence of glucose. L. jensenii even proved capable of blocking toxin production in the strong presence of oxygen, and reducing the virulence of S. aureus. This makes it the most protective of the lactobacilli studied. For the authors, it would also be the best candidate in the search for a probiotic for women who have already experienced TSS and want to prevent a recurrence.

The noose tightens around glyphosate Classified as a “probable carcinogen” by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) – but not by regulatory agencies (see text box) – and suspected of being an endocrine disruptor, glyphosate may also cause various neurodevelopmental and neurobehavioral disorders.

So suggests an analysis by a team of Belgian and Polish researchers, who sifted through studies on the toxic effects of glyphosate (experiments on cell cultures and animal models, clinical cases, epidemiological studies, etc.). ¹

According to them, glyphosate (sidenote: Glyphosate Glyphosate is the active compound in Roundup, a “broad-spectrum” weedkiller introduced by Monsanto in 1974. It kills all weeds by blocking the 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate (EPSP) synthase enzyme, which is involved in the synthesis of certain amino acids essential to their growth. Extremely effective, easy to use, and inexpensive, glyphosate is the most widely used pesticide in the world. Three hundred and fifty million hectares of crops in 140 countries are currently treated with glyphosate. It is considered a probable human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and is also thought to be an endocrine disruptor (although this remains controversial). Since 2000, when its patent expired, it has been used in a large number of agricultural herbicides. In several countries, including France, the Netherlands, and Belgium, it is banned for private use and in public spaces. )  and its metabolites, such as aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA), the adjuvants found in the composition of glyphosate-based herbicides (surfactants), or the heavy metals in these preparations, exert what they describe as “devastating” effects at various levels.

Gut microbiota

Scientific studies on animals have shown that prolonged exposure to glyphosate-based herbicides leads to a change in the composition of the gut microbiota that favors pathogenic bacteria. 

A 16S rRNA analysis of 141 bacterial families showed a deviation in the Firmicutes-to-Bacteroidetes ratio, a significant marker of dysbiosis (sidenote: Dysbiosis Generally defined as an alteration in the composition and function of the microbiota caused by a combination of environmental and individual-specific factors. Levy M, Kolodziejczyk AA, Thaiss CA, et al. Dysbiosis and the immune system. Nat Rev Immunol. 2017;17(4):219-232.   ) , as well as a decrease in the abundance of beneficial bacteria, such as Enterococcus spp. and Bacillus spp. Some pathogenic bacteria, such as E. coli, Salmonella spp., and Clostridia spp. also became resistant to glyphosate as a result of this exposure.

In the studies, these changes in the microbiota were associated with increased oxidative stress and inflammation levels. Glyphosate exposure may also cause anatomical changes in the jejunum and duodenum.

Gut-brain axis

By destabilizing the gut microbiota, glyphosate herbicides appear capable of disrupting the functioning of the gut-brain axis, mediated by the vagus nerve, as well as that of the hypothalamic–pituitary axis. This may lead to neuronal and endocrine dysfunction, with multiple hormonal, emotional, cognitive, or behavioral consequences.

Neurons

Glyphosate may cause a variety of neuronal disturbances, which may or may not be linked to the microbiota and the gut-brain axis. Individuals with high exposure (farmers and chemical plant workers) are known to be at greater risk of neurodegenerative diseases. These diseases may be linked to a decrease in axon projections from neurons and the degeneration of the myelin sheath of motor and sensory nerves caused by glyphosate. Glyphosate also appears to inhibit neuronal differentiation and growth, with the disappearance of certain axon branches and dendritic underdevelopment potentially leading to neuromuscular and locomotor disabilities.

Blood-brain barrier (BBB)

The BBB is a selectively permeable membrane that regulates the transport of molecules, immune cells, xenobiotics, and pathogens between blood vessels and the microenvironment of the central nervous system, thus contributing to paracrine and endocrine signaling. In co-cultures of endothelial cells and neurons (a model for studying the BBB), exposure to glyphosate for 24 hours had a range of adverse effects, including the depletion of tight junction proteins, increased vascular permeability, and altered neuronal activity.

Nerve communication

As an organophosphate, glyphosate inhibits the enzyme acetylcholinesterase, which may lead to paralysis, memory impairment, psychomotor disorders, and anxiety. 

A study of adolescents living in agricultural regions of the Andes found a correlation between acetylcholinesterase markers and depression. Glyphosate herbicides may also cause a disruption to monoaminergic transmission linked to major depression. 

The French Gut is part of a vast international project, the "Million Microbiome of Humans Project" (MMHP), which brings together several research institutes around the world. The MMHP's ambition is to create the world's largest database on human microbiota, by collecting one million microbial samples from the intestines, mouth, skin and reproductive tract of volunteer subjects. The French Gut, led by INRAE in partnership with public and private players involved in the microbiota field, will make a significant contribution to the development of this international database by collecting 100,000 French intestinal metagenomes.

The French Gut can count on the strong support of the Biocodex Microbiota Institute. The objectives of this project are to recruit 100,000 participants, and to raise awareness among the general public, including healthcare professionals, of the fascinating powers of the intestinal microbiota, particularly its role in the onset of a number of pathologies.

A shared objective: to highlight the importance of the effects of the intestinal microbiota on our health

The Biocodex Microbiota Institute shares the same ambition as Le French Gut: to raise awareness among the general public and train healthcare professionals in the major importance of the microbiota, particularly the impact of dysbiosis on our health. Since 2017, the Biocodex Microbiota Institute:

BMI 22.46

Microorganisms are living beings invisible to the naked eye, sometimes called “microbes” or “germs”. They’re generally made up of a single cell and can be found everywhere: from the depths of the ocean to the bottom of our gut, in the air, soil, plants, and rivers.

Microorganisms: tireless workers behind the scene 

Microorganisms are essential to life on Earth thanks to their superpowers. These include a key role in the decomposition of plant and animal waste, or in carbon and nitrogen fixation. They’re essential links in the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems and key to the health of living beings.

Our bodies, too, form a true ecosystem, where populations of billions of “friendly” microorganisms live in harmony, providing us with a vast range of services. These populations are known as our “flora” or “microbiota (sidenote: Microbiota Microbiota are the communities of microorganisms – mainly bacteria, but also viruses, fungi, and archaea – that colonize the human body. The type, number, and distribution of these microorganisms vary considerably from one area of the body to another. The gut microbiota – also known as the gut flora – contains the largest number of microorganisms. The gut microbiota is also the most studied. In humans, microbiota are also found in the vagina (vaginal microbiota), on the surface of the skin (skin microbiota), in the urinary tract (urinary microbiota) and respiratory tract (pulmonary microbiota), and in the ear-nose-throat area (ENT microbiota). These numerous microbiota interact with each other and take part in digestive, metabolic, immune, and neurological functions. ) ”. This type of microbial community can be found not only in animals and plants, but also in soils and the oceans¹.

Microbiota are the communities of microorganisms – mainly bacteria, but also viruses, fungi, and archaea – that colonize the human body.

The gut microbiota – also known as the gut flora – contains the largest number of microorganisms. It is also the most studied.

A bacterium for every service rendered to mankind

• By fixing atmospheric nitrogen in the soil at the root of legumes, Rhizobium bacteria promote their growth while limiting the need for chemical fertilizers;
• Bacteria Lactobacillus acidophilus and Streptococcus thermophilus transform milk into yogurt;
• The fungus Penicillium roqueforti transforms curdled and fermented milk into blue cheese or Roquefort;
• Viruses called “phages” allow us to cure certain infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria;
• The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae transforms sugars from wheat or barley into alcohol to make beer;
• Lastly, a collection of bacteria, fungi, and archaea allow water purification in wastewater treatment plants.

The saga of microorganisms

• 3.4 to 3.7 billion years ago: Appearance of the first bacteria and archaea (the first forms of life on Earth).
• 1665: English scientist Robert Hooke observes microorganisms (mold) under the microscope for the first time.
• 1674: Dutch draper Antonie van Leeuwenhoek observes bacteria under the microscope for the first time, naming them “animalcules”.
• 1838: German naturalist and zoologist Christian Gottfried Ehrenberg coins the term “bacteria”.
• 1857: Louis Pasteur demonstrates the role of bacteria in fermentation.
• 1882: Robert Koch discovers the bacillus responsible for tuberculosis.
• 1918: Spanish flu epidemic caused by the H1N1 virus (25 million deaths).
• 1930: First observation of a virus using an electron microscope.
• 1917: Félix d’Hérelle and Frederick Twort discover bacteriophages.
• 1929: Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin (antibiotic).
• 1977: Carl Woese discovers bacterial archaea.
• 1995: Craig Venter’s team sequences the first bacterial genome in its entirety.
• 2019: COVID-19 pandemic (SARS-CoV-2 virus).

If you thought microbes were only fit to be eliminated, by now you can see you were wrong. The vast majority of microbes are essential to human life and activity. They’re also essential to the functioning of our body and to good health.

Mutually beneficial value exchange^{3, 7, 8}

Our bodies are home to a varied multitude of “commensal” microorganisms – as opposed to pathogenic microorganisms – with which we have a truly symbiotic relationship. In exchange for food and shelter, these microbes provide us with invaluable services.

In the gut, bacteria in the microbiota feed on dietary fiber – which we’re unable to break down – and release essential compounds known as “short-chain fatty acids (sidenote: Short chain fatty acids (SCFA) Short chain fatty acids (SCFA) are a source of energy (fuel) for an individual’s cells. They interact with the immune system and are involved in communication between the intestine and the brain. Silva YP, Bernardi A, Frozza RL. The Role of Short-Chain Fatty Acids From Gut Microbiota in Gut-Brain Communication. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2020;11:25. ) ”. These molecules nourish gut cells, contributing to their growth and differentiation, and reinforcing their barrier function. Microbes also synthesize useful bioactive substances, such as amino acids and vitamins (K2, B5, B6, etc.).

They also play a role in the maturation of immune cells, particularly numerous in the gut wall, and, by occupying the terrain and synthesizing certain antibacterial proteins called bacteriocins, protect us against the proliferation of pathogenic microorganisms. Lastly, they synthesize metabolites (sidenote: Metabolites Small molecules produced during cellular or bacterial metabolism. For example, short-chain fatty acids are metabolites produced by intestinal microbiota during fermentation of non-digestible complex carbohydrates (fibers, etc.). Silva YP, Bernardi A, Frozza RL. The Role of Short-Chain Fatty Acids From Gut Microbiota in Gut-Brain Communication. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2020;11:25.  Lamichhane S, Sen P, Dickens AM, et al An overview of metabolomics data analysis: current tools and future perspectives. Comprehensive analytical chemistry. 2018 ; 82: 387-413 ) capable of regulating some of our physiological functions, notably our immune and neuronal functions. For example, the microbiota and the brain are in permanent communication via the so-called microbiota-gut-brain axis.

How to pamper your microbes ^{3, 7, 8}

The health of our microbiota depends on many factors: genetics, age, living environment, mode of birth, etc. But the most powerful modulator of the gut microbiota remains our diet. A “healthy” microbiota, i.e. one that is rich and diversified, requires a diet that includes a sufficient variety of plants (fruits, vegetables, oilseeds, whole grains, legumes, etc., which provide the right “substrates”, or food, for the microorganisms), as well as live bacteria (fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kombucha, kefir, etc.).

Our diet should not include too many harmful foods, such as those containing emulsifiers and sweeteners. 

Cutting back on certain medications (antibiotics, antacids, laxatives, anxiolytics, etc.), moderating alcohol and tobacco consumption, and regular physical activity are also excellent ways to promote a healthy microbiota.
 

Microbes are responsible for a multitude of infectious diseases: the rhinovirus for colds, the SARS-CoV-2 virus for COVID-19, the Salmonella bacterium for gastroenteritis, the Candida fungus for candidiasis, etc. Fortunately, we now have antimicrobials (antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals, etc.) that can treat the majority of infections caused by microorganisms.

Recognized as a public health issue by the WHO, antimicrobial resistance may kill up to 10 million people per year by 2050 (as many as cancer).¹⁰ The WHO recommends limiting the use of antimicrobials, particularly antibiotics, in livestock farming, human healthcare, and agriculture, but above all calls for new, more effective treatments for infections.

Imbalances: the breeding ground for lifestyle diseases ^{3, 5, 8}

Microorganisms aren’t only responsible for infectious diseases. Did you know that microorganisms also play a role in obesity, diabetes, osteoporosis, cancer, vascular diseases, and neurodegenerative diseases (Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, etc.) ?

Studies show that people suffering from these illnesses have an imbalance in their microbiota known as “dysbiosis (sidenote: Dysbiosis Generally defined as an alteration in the composition and function of the microbiota caused by a combination of environmental and individual-specific factors. Levy M, Kolodziejczyk AA, Thaiss CA, et al. Dysbiosis and the immune system. Nat Rev Immunol. 2017;17(4):219-232.   ) ”. Dysbiosis is characterized by a loss of richness and diversity in microbial populations, particularly in the gut. Numerous studies have shown that such imbalances can have a negative impact on the way our body functions, and can contribute to the onset or aggravation of disease.

The data currently available fail to give a precise answer as to whether dysbiosis causes disease or disease causes dysbiosis. However, studies suggest that it may be possible to maintain good health by ensuring the microbiota is rich and diversified, i.e. “healthy”, or by rebalancing it.

Modulate the microbiota to prevent or even cure disease!

There are several ways to positively modulate the gut microbiota in cases of dysbiosis or disease ^{3, 7} :

• Diet and lifestyle (see above);
• Prebiotics (inulin, galactooligosaccharides [GOS], fructooligosaccharides [FOS], and lactulose): these compounds are capable of specifically feeding groups of beneficial bacteria, such as Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus, thus encouraging their proliferation¹¹;
• Probiotics (specific strains of live bacteria or yeast with proven health benefits): to date, scientific evidence of their efficacy is limited to childhood diarrhea, antibiotic-associated diarrhea, certain inflammatory bowel diseases, and necrotizing enterocolitis, but their therapeutic potential is the subject of much research^11.
• Bioactive metabolites (sidenote: Metabolites Small molecules produced during cellular or bacterial metabolism. For example, short-chain fatty acids are metabolites produced by intestinal microbiota during fermentation of non-digestible complex carbohydrates (fibers, etc.). Silva YP, Bernardi A, Frozza RL. The Role of Short-Chain Fatty Acids From Gut Microbiota in Gut-Brain Communication. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2020;11:25.  Lamichhane S, Sen P, Dickens AM, et al An overview of metabolomics data analysis: current tools and future perspectives. Comprehensive analytical chemistry. 2018 ; 82: 387-413 ) : have the ability to modulate the physiology of target microorganisms;
• Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT): involves transferring the gut microbiota of a healthy person into the gut of a sick person. For example, FMT has shown particularly solid results (90% cure rate) for Clostridium difficile infections¹² but may also be useful for alleviating the symptoms of autism ¹³.

Microorganisms are a valuable field of research for scientists. For example, in order to better combat bacterial resistance to antibiotics and develop monitoring tools, scientists need a better understanding of how bacteria exchange genes, how they acquire antimicrobial resistance, and the pathways by which this resistance circulates between the environment, humans, and animals¹⁰.

High-resolution genomics and metagenomics techniques, widely used in human microbiota studies, are powerful tools for exploring microbial dynamics.

Microbiota at the crossroads of research

An ever-increasing number of studies seek to improve our understanding of how microorganisms in the microbiota interact with humans and contribute to the proper functioning of human cells, and to reveal which microbial profiles are most beneficial to health, and which modifications contribute to disease³.

The ultimate goal is to identify new therapeutic avenues and new probiotic bacteria that will make it possible to modulate the microbiota and thus manage certain acute and chronic illnesses more effectively.

As you can see, although microorganisms are invisible and have a bad reputation, they deserve our full respect and attention, since they’re essential to our lives. 

Much mystery still surrounds the communities they form, their interactions with the environment, and the role they play in our organism, but not a day goes by without a new study showing the importance of having them on our side, and thus of strengthening our symbiosis with them.

BMI-24.12

Riddle me this: I’m the most widely used herbicide in the world. I’m considered a probable carcinogen by the WHO. Yet I’ve just been re-approved in Europe for ten years. Who am I? 

Answer: Glyphosate.

If you knew the answer, congratulations! However, these three pieces of information are only scratching the surface for glyphosate (sidenote: Glyphosate Glyphosate is the active compound in Roundup, a “broad-spectrum” weedkiller introduced by Monsanto in 1974. It kills all weeds by blocking the EPSPS enzyme, which is involved in the synthesis of certain amino acids essential to their growth. Extremely effective, easy to use, and inexpensive, glyphosate is the most widely used pesticide in the world. It is considered a probable human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and is also thought to be an endocrine disruptor (although this remains controversial). Since 2000, when its patent expired, it has been used in a large number of agricultural herbicides. In several countries, including France, the Netherlands, and Belgium, it is banned for private use and in public spaces.
  Source: Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle and Inrae ) ,  a compound now found everywhere, whether in water, the air, or the food we eat, particularly cereals and legumes. ¹

According to a review of studies into the consequences of exposure to glyphosate and the herbicides that contain it, the compound’s effects on the microbiota and brain are “devastating.” ²

Gut bacteria severely disturbed

For example, several studies on animals show that even at low doses, glyphosate increases gut pathogenic bacteria, reduces beneficial bacteria, and strongly impacts the abundance of two major bacterial groups, Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes.

We know that maintaining an adequate Firmicutes-to-Bacteroidetes ratio is a key factor in microbiota balance, and that a variation in this ratio is a marker of dysbiosis (sidenote: Dysbiosis Generally defined as an alteration in the composition and function of the microbiota caused by a combination of environmental and individual-specific factors. Levy M, Kolodziejczyk AA, Thaiss CA, et al. Dysbiosis and the immune system. Nat Rev Immunol. 2017;17(4):219-232.   ) , an imbalance involved in various disorders and diseases.

Glyphosate is also thought to strongly destabilize the gut-brain axis, which is known to influence our behavior, memory, and emotions, as well as our immunity and hormones. A number of studies suggest that, in both rodents and humans, exposure to this herbicide disrupts the gut bacteria involved in the gut-brain axis, particularly those that play a beneficial role against certain mood disorders.

Impact on the entire nervous system

But that’s not all. Glyphosate may also have a significant impact on the blood-brain barrier (the membrane that protects the brain) and could alter the formation and survival of neurons, as well as the transmission of nerve impulses. This could have significant consequences for:

• mental health: anxiety, depression,  suicidal thoughts, etc.;
• cognitive and social abilities: memory impairment, abnormal social or exploratory behavior, etc.; 
• locomotion: paralysis, psychomotor disorders, etc.;
• the risk of neurodegenerative diseases: Parkinson, Alzheimer or Huntington’s disease, multiple sclerosis, etc.

While this summary raises more questions than it answers, it underlines the fact that further work is required to accurately assess the health risks of exposure to glyphosate. Since glyphosate is currently still widely used in many countries, this represents a global public health issue.

Experience the exhibition inauguration 

Discover the photo exhibition

The Biocodex Microbiota Institute entrusted photographer Laurent Hini with the delicate task of unveiling the mechanisms at work.

The project was conceived as a confrontation between a wide-angle photograph of the athlete and an image representing his “microbiota coach”. For the microbiota, a mixed photo and generative visual AI technique was used to materialize the microbiota's function. The action portrait is created using “classic” photographic techniques. Artificial intelligence does not replace photography, but is hybridized with it. It gives substance to the “microbiota coach”. The entire exhibition is based on this balance between the representative and the non-figurative, between the perceptible (the athlete) and the concealed (his microbiota).

Each diptych was then assigned a chromatic dominant: red for energy, orange for balance, white for defense... Color plays an important role in the exhibition: it links the two sections of each diptych and acts as a signpost, guiding the visitor through the exhibition. And it accentuates the plunge into the heart of each microbiota.

In all, we have 5 large-format diptychs for 5 sports associated with 5 microbiota functions. Dive into the heart of each microbiota!

Breakdance, balance 

With Paola Soares da Silva
Did you know? Our microbiota is made up of hundreds of billions of living micro-organisms, invisible to the naked eye. These micro-organisms, such as bacteria, yeasts, viruses, fungi and parasites, cohabit in symbiosis with our bodies, working together to maintain our balanced gut microbiota (or gut flora). A balanced microbiota is characterized by a diversity and abundance of micro-organisms. Microbiota diversity is a key indicator of our health. But this balance remains fragile, and we need to take care of it. Numerous scientific studies show that regular physical activity increases intestinal bacterial diversity in favor of beneficial species. Sport therefore contributes to the balance of the microbiota, preserving this symbiosis essential to our health and well-being.

Basketball, resilience 

With Sidney Attiogbé

Small, invisible... but very resistant! A high-fat diet, stress, infections... A variety of factors can upset the balance of the intestinal microbiota (known as dysbiosis). The good news is that the intestinal microbiota is resilient, i.e. capable of recovering from disruption. Another piece of good news is that physical exercise has been shown to contribute to this resilience. Intense physical exercise is correlated with oxidative stress (a natural phenomenon linked to the production of free radicals in the body). The resilience of the microbiota is essential in more ways than one: it contributes to good digestion and nutrient absorption, combats oxidative stress and inflammation, and strengthens the immune system and helps prevent certain diseases. Convinced? Then get your sneakers!

Rugby, energy 

With Jonathan Laugel and Maxime François

Need a tonic? Tap into your intestinal microbiota! Bacteria in the intestinal microbiota play an important role in energy production for athletes. How do they do it? The intestinal microbiota ferments complex carbohydrates from the diet, which in turn produce short-chain fatty acids (sidenote: Short chain fatty acids (SCFA) Short chain fatty acids (SCFA) are a source of energy (fuel) for an individual’s cells. They interact with the immune system and are involved in communication between the intestine and the brain. Silva YP, Bernardi A, Frozza RL. The Role of Short-Chain Fatty Acids From Gut Microbiota in Gut-Brain Communication. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2020;11:25. ) (SCFAs), recognized as a vital source of energy for intestinal cells and other body tissues. These in turn contribute to endurance and recovery during exercise. A virtuous circle!

Surfing and hydration 

With Ainhoa Leiceaga
Water, source of life. Hydration is essential for everyone, but even more so for athletes, whose performance and recovery depend on optimal water intake. The intestinal microbiota transports water and electrolytes - minerals that help stabilize the body's hydration level - through the intestinal wall. Scientific studies have shown that the composition of the intestinal microbiota influences the absorption of sodium and other solutes essential for hydration in the blood, thus contributing to hydration. Athletes are at greater risk of dehydration due to the heavy perspiration associated with exercise. A balanced microbiota therefore contributes to the integrity of the intestinal barrier and good hydration of the body, both of which are essential for sports performance.

Judo, defense 

With Raymond Demoniere

Attack and counter-attack! The intestinal microbiota acts as a shield against attacks by pathogenic (sidenote: Pathogens A pathogen is a microorganism that causes, or may cause, disease. Pirofski LA, Casadevall A. Q and A: What is a pathogen? A question that begs the point. BMC Biol. 2012 Jan 31;10:6. ) bacteria. How does it do this? Bacteria are in constant dialogue with the intestinal immune system, enabling it to be on constant alert and, if necessary, to protect the intestinal barrier. Activation of the immune response plays a key role in endurance. Surpass yourself, yes, but first protect yourself! There is a relationship between the intensity of sport and the alteration of the host's immune response. Recent research suggests that the intestinal microbiota may help counter the inflammatory responses triggered by intense exercise. Athletes with a specific gut microbiota composition showed a lower inflammatory state. These anti-inflammatory effects of intestinal microbiota would delay symptoms of fatigue during endurance exercise. Let's hear it! 

A word from the Institute's Scientific Director

This project was born of this questioning... and of an opportunity: the arrival of a year 2024 rich in sporting events in Paris! We immersed ourselves in scientific studies demonstrating the bidirectional relationship between microbiota and physical activity. Hydration, defense, balance, energy and resilience: in these five key functions of our body, the microbiota plays the role of an invisible coach. With the scientific foundations in place, we now needed to reach as many people as possible with a major challenge: making the invisible visible. Photography, combined with artificial intelligence, seemed the best way to illustrate the formidable powers of the microbiota. Invisible but solid! 

Thanks to all the athletes who took part in the project. 

Recommended by our community

BMI-24.37

The results of this study mean you’ll never look at your spa trip the same way. You booked a trip for one, but you mightn’t be the only one to benefit: the millions of bacteria in your gut microbiota may too.

So says a study in Japan, a country where onsen (sidenote: Onsen Hot springs. )  are a true way of life. They’re credited with numerous benefits, for a wide range of ailments, including sleep disorders, musculoskeletal disorders, skin diseases, cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, and disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, to name a few.immune functionimmune function

A flora enriched in bifidobacteria...

For the good of science, 136 brave adults in good health (80 men, 56 women) happily agreed to be the guinea pigs in an experiment.

The program involved a daily bath lasting at least 20 minutes in a hot spring of their choice, for seven consecutive days, in Beppu, a city home to 2,000 springs.

After a week, the gut flora of those who chose bicarbonate-rich hot springs was greatly enriched in the bacterium Bifidobacterium bifidum, while the gut flora of those who opted for sulfurous baths was enriched in Ruminococcus2 and Alistipes.

Lastly, those who opted for simple springs (no minerals over-represented) saw their gut populations of Parabacteroides and Oscillibacter boosted.

... thanks to hot springs?

Since Bifidobacterium bifidum is universally recognized as a “good bacterium” (beneficial effects on constipation, immune function, etc.), it’s tempting to conclude that the “powers” of balneotherapy rest upon it. However, levels of this bacterium only increase in bicarbonate-rich waters, while the effect varies from one bicarbonate onsen to the next. Furthermore, microorganisms boosted by sulfurous or simple springs are known to have effects that are at times beneficial and at times deleterious.

Climate change has caused a rise in the Earth’s average temperature of around 1.5°C since the pre-industrial period (1850-1900), in addition to (and especially?) extreme weather phenomena and record high temperatures. These exceptional phenomena apply selective pressure on all living beings, including humans. There are just two options to this pressure: suffer (and possibly perish) or adapt.

Pressure already at work 

According to Mhairi Claire Donnelly and Nicholas J Talley, co-authors of a “Commentary” published in Gut ¹, climate change is expected to significantly affect our digestive health, derailing its physiology and impacting our digestive and immune systems. According to the authors, this is due to: increased use of pesticides and fungicides to save weather-beaten crops, which cause dysbioses in consumers that result in digestive (Irritable Bowel Syndrome and colorectal cancer) and non-digestive (obesity and neurodegeneration) diseases; air pollution involved in inflammation, oxidation and insulin resistance; and so on. Mental health may also be affected, due to eco-anxiety.

Things are no better as regards infections: over 50% of infectious diseases are expected to be exacerbated by climate change, and a 10% increase in diarrheal diseases (contamination of drinking water during floods, high temperatures favoring certain viruses, etc.) is expected by 2030. The issue of digestive and liver cancers is also raised: rising temperatures are thought to induce the secretion of carcinogenic toxins, while microplastics from fossil fuels could be responsible for liver cancer. Paradoxically, treating these diseases also increases our carbon footprint, prompting the authors to conclude their article – which some will criticize for shortcuts and the non-separation of climate change and pollution – with a call for new practices, both at home and in hospitals.

Changes taking place

At the same time, some pathogens are adapting, warns Arturo Casadevall in his article in Nature Microbiology ². He argues that successive heatwaves will result in the gradual natural selection of fungi most tolerant to high temperatures. Yet mammalian body temperature has been one of the weapons (along with immunity) used to defend against pathogenic fungi: Cryptococcus spp. blocked by a rabbit’s high body temperature cannot induce systemic cryptococcosis and is limited to the coldest parts of the body such as the skin and testicles.

But what will happen in the future if the greater number of very hot days results in the natural selection of fungi more tolerant to high temperatures that adapt more quickly to the heat? It would facilitate the infection of all mammals by fungi. So not only is global warming affecting the ecosystem, it could also be selecting pathogens adapted to higher ambient conditions.

Moreover, this selection may already be underway: global warming could explain the simultaneous and unexplained emergence on three continents, in around 2010, of different clades of Candida auris that are more thermotolerant than the phylogenetically related Candida spp. and display significant resistance to two of the three main classes of antifungal drug: azoles and polyenes.

One year after its launch by three international gastroenterologists, the IBS diagnosis tool keeps its momentum. To mark IBS Awareness Month, the Biocodex Microbiota Institute is going a step further providing healthcare professionals and the lay public a dedicated journey to better understand IBS and its link with the microbiota. 

Since 1997, April is irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) Awareness Month. IBS is a complex disorder, its genesis is likely multifactorial and not fully understood.  But there are several lines of evidence that implicate microbiota in IBS. This why, during this month, the Biocodex Microbiota Institute joins patients, healthcare professionals and family members to increase awareness about IBS and its link with gut microbiota.  Patients’ testimonials, experts’ interviews, infographic, certification training courses, articles... Here are some tools to raise the visibility of IBS and microbiota. 

IBS diagnosis tool: a helpful physician resource

Launched in 2023 by three internationally renowned gastroenterologists Professor Jean-Marc Sabaté, Professor Jan Tack, and Dr. Pedro Costa Moreira, with the support of the Biocodex Microbiota Institute, the IBS Diagnosis tool provides physicians an easy-to-use checklist to differential diagnosis (diagnostic criteria, IBS subtypes, checklist of warning signs, etc.) and to improving communication with patients.

Thousands of gastroenterologists but also family physicians, pharmacists, dietitians have already adopted this innovative tool. Available in three formats, this tool has received the endorsement of the World Gastroenterology Organisation.

It can be downloaded here.

IBS infographic, thematic folder, and training courses: tailored educational opportunities! 

Many patients with IBS suffer for years before discussing their symptoms with their physician. However, due to their prominent position in daily patient care, physicians play a crucial role to play in promptly diagnosing and effectively treating patients with IBS. They are also well positioned to establish open and trusting relationships with their patients. This is the reason why, the Biocodex Microbiota Institute provides healthcare professionals with customized tools and content to improve their day-to-day practice and quickly become experts on IBS. IBS certification training course, infographics to share with patients, expert videos, thematic paper, but also the latest scientific news... A range of innovative, updated and easy-to-use contents to become an IBS expert.

Better understand the complex link between microbiota & IBS 

What are the IBS symptoms? Why do I develop IBS? Is it linked to the microbiota? Is there a microbiota-gut-brain axis? To increase awareness about IBS and answer all the questions the lay public may ask, the Biocodex Microbiota Institute is handing the floor to an expert in the field, Pr. Premysl Bercik, clinician and researcher at McMaster University, Canada.

Living with IBS: patients’ testimonies

Aline, Jennifer and Mihai are IBS patients. In a series of video testimonials, they speak openly about how the disease has changed their lives and give advice on how to live with IBS. The first episodes of “patients stories” were produced with the support of the French Association of Irritable Bowel Syndrome Patients (APSSII). 

With this holistic awareness campaign, the Biocodex Microbiota Institute intends to actively encourage all stakeholders (patients and health professionals, as well as family members, caregivers, health authorities, and the general public, etc.) to get a better understanding of the disease itself, and the latest research advances pointing to the role played by the gut microbiota.

If there is still some way to go in terms of managing IBS and considering symptoms, there is no doubt that the development of new diagnostic tools will soon change the game.

About the Microbiota Institute

The Biocodex Microbiota Institute is an international hub of knowledge that aims to foster better health by spreading knowledge about human microbiota. To do so, the Institute addresses both healthcare professionals and the lay public to raise awareness about the central role of this important organ.

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