Gut Microbiota: From documentaries to the research of a new biological medicine

We have been speaking about microbiota, probiotics, prebiotics, etc. for some time now, it is a very interesting and relevant topic, as can be seen in the Netflix documentary “Hack your Health, secrets of your gut”, which talks about the intestinal microbiota and how it impacts on our body. As indicated in the documentary itself, the microbiota is the set of microorganisms that live in our body.
I encourage you to watch it, as it explains quite simply the function of the intestinal microbiota and how it can potentially affect our body, and how it can be related to gastrointestinal diseases such as diarrhea or ulcers or may even have some connection with autism or other mental illnesses. In addition, it talks about Fecal Microbiota Transfer (FMT), a topic that in Mikrobiomik we are very proud to be one of the first companies worldwide to develop a biological medicine based on this technique, with scientific evidence and satisfactory results, as can be seen in the completed phase III clinical trial, for the indication of Clostridioides Difficile. You can find more information on our website.
Although the documentary takes us into the intestinal microbiota world in a very simple way, I did not agree when they highlight a possible relationship between the microbiota of a donor and diseases in the receptor, it showed in a scene a girl preparing her own “microbiota capsules” from a homemade transplant. She tells her experience, “taking” the microbiota transplants from her relatives and the different symptoms she suffered, as I mentioned before, the medical conclusions described above cannot be validated as it is a homemade and unregulated experiment, much more data is needed to be able to make this kind of analysis. In the stool, apart from the microbiota, which can be beneficial for treating a disease, there is organic waste material that the person has not been able to absorb, water, and other bacteria or elements that can be both beneficial and counterproductive for the health of the recipient of FMT. That’s why it is of extreme importance to work under specific regulations that guarantee the safety of the treatment, and it is necessary to have a perfectly healthy donor, without any type of physical or psychological affection.

At Mikrobiomik we take the question of health very seriously, which is why we carry out an exhaustive screening process of donor candidates before they start to donate, to avoid compromising the receptor. This process consists in three steps: a first step consists of a battery of questions to find out the general state of health of the person. If, after this test, the medical professional concludes that the person is suitable, the second stage is followed by a personal interview with the doctor, , in which the medical history and how the defecation issue works daily are analyzed. If they are also suitable, they move on to the third and final phase to be considered as a donor, in which they carry out a complete analysis to rule out pathogens or diseases that could be a potential risk to the recipients. If everything is correct, this person can now donate and save lives.

It is not a fad, it is not a laughing matter, nor should it be put aside because it is a raw material that everyone throws away. More and more research is being done on intestinal microbiota, although there is still a long way to go. Do not be blindly guided by what is said on social networks, or by influencers, I recommend that you research the subject, read articles and form your own opinion and judgment, and above all, become donors, because thanks to donors many lives can be saved, and continue researching a subject as still unknown as intestinal microbiota.