Microbiome

The varied community of microorganisms that live in different parts of the body, particularly the gut, is referred to as the human microbiome. These microorganisms are mostly bacteria, but they can also be viruses, fungi, and archaea. These microbial communities are vital for immune regulation, nutrition synthesis, digestion, and pathogen defense. Metagenomics research has shown that homeostasis depends on a healthy, diverse microbiome, whereas dysbiosis, or imbalances in the microbiome, is linked to a variety of illnesses, such as obesity, inflammatory bowel disease, allergies, and neuropsychiatric disorders. The field of microbiome research is growing quickly, providing new information on diet-microbe interactions, probiotic treatments, and personalized medicine.

Scalp Microbiome Explained: What’s Living on Your Scalp and Why It Matters

The scalp microbiome comprises diverse bacteria, fungi, and yeast that interact with sebum, pH, and immune responses to maintain scalp health. Microbial imbalances are increasingly linked to conditions such as dandruff, hair loss, and inflammation, making the scalp microbiome a target for novel therapeutic approaches.

Is There a Brain Microbiome?

How Artificial Sweeteners Disrupt the Gut Microbiome, Or Do They?

Menopause and the Microbiome

What is the Human Virome?

How Does the Diet Impact Microbiota?

The Microbiome of a Newborn

Fecal Microbiota Transplant

Achievements of the Human Microbiome Project

What is Vaginal Microbiome?

Microbiome and Disease

Gut Microbiota

See more featured articles »

Gut Bacteria and Autism Development

Oral Microbiota

Human Microbiome Project (HMP)

Skin Microbiota

Fecal Microbiota Transplant Technique

Human Microbiome

Fecal Microbiota Transplant Regulation

Risk Factors for Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth

Conjunctiva microbiota

The Microbiome and Aging

Microbiome-Host Cell Interactions

Antibiotics and the Microbiome

Microbiome and Cancer

Vaginal Microbiome and Premature Birth

Is Coffee Good for the Gut?

Alzheimer's Disease and the Microbiome

Parkinson's Disease and the Gut Microbiome

Fermented Foods and Gut Health

Does the Microbiome Interact with the Human Endocrine System?

Genetic Factors that Influence Bacterial Diversity in the Human Gut

Effects of a Gluten-Free Diet on the Gut Microbiota

How “Fad” Diets Affect the Gut Microbiota

Drug Metabolism and Microbiome

Do Serotonin and Antidepressants Affect the Microbiome?

Can you Treat a Food Allergy by Altering the Gut Microbiome?

Is There a Link Between Migraine and the Gut Microbiome?

Disease Susceptibility and the Microbiome

Semi-Volatile Organic Compounds (SVOCs) and the Microbiome

What Role Does the Immune System and Microbiome Play in Health and Disease?

The Effect of Intermittent Fasting on the Gut Microbiome

Insight into the Skin Microbiome

How Does Your Diet Affect your Gut Microbiome?

What Role do Microbiomes Play in Urinary Tract Infections?

Latest Microbiome News and Research

Researchers find gut bacteria rapidly soak up ‘forever chemicals’

Scientists have demonstrated that select human gut bacteria can bioaccumulate and sequester PFAS ‘forever chemicals’, increasing faecal excretion in humanized mice. The findings reveal a potential microbiome-based strategy to reduce PFAS body burden, though clinical benefit in humans remains unproven.

1 Jul 2025

Spaceflight exposes astronauts to hidden threats in their gut

This review highlights how the unique stressors of space travel, radiation, microgravity, and circadian disruption impact astronauts’ gut microbiomes, with potential consequences for their mood, cognition, and immunity. The authors call for targeted microbiome monitoring and dietary interventions to protect astronaut mental health on future missions.

1 Jul 2025

Gut microbiota signatures predict gestational diabetes in first trimester

A new study has identified early-pregnancy gut microbiota signatures associated with the development of gestational diabetes mellitus, a metabolic disorder that carries substantial risks to both maternal and fetal health.

1 Jul 2025

Can a global vault save the world’s threatened microbiomes?

Researchers warn that accelerating human-driven loss of microbial diversity threatens both planetary and human health. The Microbiota Vault Initiative offers a global, equitable framework to safeguard critical microbiomes for future generations.

30 Jun 2025

Oleic acid from olive oil reduces infection-related bone loss with age

A mouse study shows that dietary oleic acid, a key Mediterranean diet component, protects against age-related bone and microbiome damage triggered by periodontal infection. In contrast, a Western-style palmitic acid diet worsens bone loss and destabilizes the gut microbiome.

30 Jun 2025

Gut microbiota and metabolic changes linked to pregnancy risks in women with PCOS

A new study presented today at the 41st Annual Meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) reveals that women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have distinct gut microbiota and metabolic signatures linked to premature endometrial aging and a higher risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes.

30 Jun 2025

Vegetables and dairy may lower endometriosis risk

A major umbrella review shows that higher intake of vegetables and dairy products is linked to a lower risk of endometriosis, while butter and high caffeine intake appear to increase risk. However, the evidence remains weak due to limitations in existing observational studies.

30 Jun 2025

Global effort enters an active growth phase to preserve the Earth's microbial heritage

A global effort to create a "microbial Noah's Ark" to preserve the world's diverse collection of healthy microbes before they disappear is now entering an active growth phase.

27 Jun 2025

Vegan diet lowers dietary acid load and promotes weight loss

Compared with a Mediterranean diet, dietary acid load decreased significantly on a low-fat vegan diet and was associated with weight loss, according to a randomized cross-over trial conducted by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and published in Frontiers in Nutrition.

27 Jun 2025

Do spicy foods help or hurt your gut health?

Capsaicin, the spicy compound in chili peppers, not only influences inflammation, metabolism, and cancer risk but also shapes the gut microbiome in complex, context-dependent ways. This comprehensive review highlights both the therapeutic promise and potential risks of capsaicin, calling for deeper research into its microbiome-mediated effects.

26 Jun 2025

Is plastic packaging putting more than just food on your plate?

Researchers systematically mapped the evidence on micro-, meso-, and nanoplastics migrating from plastic food-contact articles (FCAs) into food. While most studies report migration, only a small number provide highly reliable proof linking typical FCA use to MNP presence in food.

26 Jun 2025

Missing gut bacteria in US babies triples allergy and eczema risk

US infants lacking Bifidobacterium in their gut microbiome face significant changes in microbial composition, metabolic function, and immune-related health risks. This large, nationally representative study links early-life Bifidobacterium deficits to a three-fold increase in eczema, allergy, or asthma by age two.

25 Jun 2025

New insights into the role of diet and microbiome in gastric cancer

Gastric cancer (GC), once primarily seen in older adults, is on the rise among younger individuals in developed countries.

25 Jun 2025

Aging and extreme heat combine to raise risk of deadly infections

As we age, extreme heat causes many heat-related illnesses that can lead to serious health issues. A new study from the University of California, Irvine's Joe C. Wen School of Population & Public Health adds to that list.

25 Jun 2025

New study links social factors to racial disparities in weight loss surgery outcomes

Weight loss surgery has long been an effective treatment for the more than 40 percent of American adults struggling with obesity.

24 Jun 2025

Healthy gut microbiome before chemo could help protect breast cancer patients against cardiotoxicity

New research suggests that a healthy microbiome before chemotherapy could help protect breast cancer patients against heart damage, or cardiotoxicity, as a result of cancer therapy.

21 Jun 2025

Cord blood proteins help detect early sepsis in preterm infants

Scientists from Stanley Manne Children's Research Institute at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago and colleagues identified several proteins from the umbilical cord blood of preterm newborns that signal acute systemic inflammation as an immune response to infection, providing objective and noninvasive means to diagnose early onset sepsis.

20 Jun 2025