YOUR GUT PERSONALITY

Probiotic research began 100 years ago with the idea that good microbes could slow the ageing process.

The most common organisms in the human gut belong to two phyla, Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes. The ratio of these can vary widely from person to person, but gut microbiomes that favour Bacteroidetes have been linked to leanness. Microbiomes that boast more Firmicutes have been associated with obesity. Studies show that the percentage of Firmicutes tends to decrease with weight loss and higher fibre intake. Before I started the experiment, my gut contained about 2½ times as many Firmicutes as Bacteroidetes. After a month of taking probiotics, I had 12 times as many Firmicutes.