The soil determines the structure of the intestines

pictured: ELIZABETH ARCHIE
people eat as much as they eat. When you eat a lot of soil, your gut structure changes - at least if you're a cricketer. A new study suggests that it may not be genetic that determines the gut microbiome, but the local soil. The gut microbiome is a vast ecosystem of microorganisms that live in the gut, which is used to digest food, fight infections and break down toxins.
past studies have shown that the gut microbiome of radon is different among different populations. Scientists want to know why: are the genes they share with other "relatives" the distance between populations, or are the environment causing these internal changes?
to find out, the researchers collected 14 different types of mole feces in Kenya's primate hybrid region. In addition to analyzing radon DNA, the researchers looked at 13 different environmental characteristics of feces collection, including vegetation, altitude, climate, and soil.
the ultimate winner is the soil. Measured by differences in microbiome composition, soil has a stronger impact than all other environmental factors. Its ability to predict differences is three times greater than the physical distance between populations and 15 times that of genetic factors. The researchers also found that there were fewer types of gut microbes for slugs living in saline-alkali lands with fewer microorganisms. These studies, published in the Journal of the Royal Society B, suggest for the first time that the environment may have a greater impact on the gut microbiome than genes.
scientists believe that the huge impact of soil can be explained by the amount of time animals spend around the soil. Eat a wide variety of leaves, fruits, seeds, insects, roots, and small vertebrates, which usually leave the ground directly with a layer of soil, providing a perfect entry point for soil microbes into the gut. Next, the scientists plan to study how these soil microbes survive after settling in the animal's intestines. (Source: Zong Hua, China Science Journal)
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