The Human Superorganism: a summary
'The Human Superorganism: How the microbiome is revolutionising the pursuit of a healthy life' by Rodney Dietert. Dr Dietert's website
In the beginning of my interest into gut health I heard the word 'microbiome' but never really understood it fully until I read the book 'The Human Superorganism: How the microbiome is revolutionising the pursuit of a healthy life' by Rodney Dietert. This changed everything for me and is the reason why I have become so invested in optimising my gut health and trying to encourage others to do the same. Rodney Dietert, Ph.D, author, lecturer, scientist and expert in the field of the microbiome and immune system has published papers in more than 70 scientific journals, lectured in more than 100 cities and has written multiple books surrounding the topic. In this book, he translates the science behind the microbiome so that it is easy to understand without any prior knowledge around the science. He dives into the revolution in health from the early years of antibiotics to our current health standards, diseases and treatment options. He highlights just how much of an impact the microbiome plays in our health as well as ways YOU can take ownership of your health. He breaks the book down into three parts:
Part 1: A shift in how we think about biology
Part 2: A revolution in medicine
Part 3: Caring from yourself
Introduction
It is true that over the years scientific discoveries in medicine have drastically changed the way we live life; reducing infant mortality, increasing lifespan and presenting treatment options we would have never thought possible.
The author explains that back in the 1800s when killer diseases such as typhoid, cholera and tuberculosis were caused by a single pathogenic bacteria species, science was motivated by two concepts: that a human was better off as a pure organism (free of microbes) and that the mammalian genome is the most important biological factor. This is where the era of antibiotics began: Penicillin being one of the first and used during WW2 (some say it was the most powerful weapon in the war).
However, human disease in the 21st century presents a very different picture- no longer are the killer diseases caused by a single pathogenic bacteria but by, once known as chronic diseases, now labelled non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and these diseases kill 3 x as many people as infectious disease according to WHO (World Health Organisation).
Unlike Infectious diseases, you cannot see these diseases, we cannot pass them on and we cannot vaccinate against them and so without knowing what we are trying to treat we are left helplessly managing the symptoms using antibiotics with long lists of possible side effects. We have become prisoners to an NCD epidemic that reduces quality of life and drains our economy (estimated of cost $47 trillion per year in a decade).
Part 1
In part one of the book Dr Dietert begins to explain what he calls the 'new biology'- a multispecies organism comprised of a vast network of interactions, contradicting to the 'old biology' which understood the human as a single species.
He compares the human species to a rain forest which I have referenced before because I love how this metaphor makes the science easy to understand. He highlights that as a healthy rainforest thrives with diversity- many layers and species of life serving different but equally important functions within their specific abundance- the human microbiome too relies on diversity and the relative functions of each species to function efficiently. There are consequences in both cases to degrading or damaging this.
The 'second genome'
Something I found very interesting, was the fact the author shared about the genes we carry. He explains that we have 22,000 mammalian genes but we also carry about 10 million microbial genes and while it is difficult to change the composition of genes in our human genome it is comparably easy to change our microbial genome, simply by changing the variety of microbes which we possess. Perhaps we cant 'blame' everything we are not so good at on our genetics anymore?
Seeding our microbes
A lot of research has been published which explores the impact of seeding a strong microbiome in early life. The development of our microbiome occurs well before we are born through the communication between foetus and maternal bacteria. The impact of the maternal environment such as stress, diet and drugs (antibiotics during pregnancy and delivery) are important factors in this seeding but it is the birth which is an especially pivotal moment for determining the state of an individuals microbiome and immune health. In fact, direct contact with maternal bacteria helps to seed new-borns microbes and immune system and that is why in cases of premature birth 'kangaroo care', where the baby is held against the mothers skin, is important. In early life, breast milk helps to promote immune maturation providing the new-born with probiotics.
Without proper seeding in early life we are left with an incomplete immune defence system which as you should know considering the trust we have had to put in our immune systems to fight covid-19 recently is less than ideal.
The author describes our microbiome as our personal superhero outfit- linking the external to our internal and without it we are left vulnerable to attack.
Part 2
In part two of the book Dr Dietert dives into the revolution of medicine highlighting that medicine is only as good as the biology- as the biology changes as should the medicine.
Currently, huge findings are being made in the biology regarding the microbiome yet we are stuck in the old biology with the therapeutic approaches to manage human health.
Immune system
The immune system is an extremely important part of us, from the role our skin plays as a barrier to the production of memory cells that resides within us ready to fight when presented with infection. Our immune system is the only thing between us and death from infection- when functioning correctly it is our best friend (and we are never quiet grateful enough for it) however when not functioning correctly either a lack of (infection) or too much (Autoimmune/inflammation) it can kill you.
Did you know 70% of your immune system resides in your gut and so this is where the importance of your gut microbes function comes into play. It determines whether you tolerate or experience an inflammatory response to certain foods (gluten, lactose, peanuts), environments and stressors.
Dr Dietert highlights that back in the 1970’s there was not such thing as peanut allergies, skin inflammation or autoimmune diseases yet in current times our immune systems are completely dysregulated reacting to everything or nothing at all. He explains that the immune system relies on microbes in our gut to understand when to tolerate and when to respond.
Patterns of disease
Dr Dietert goes a bit more into depth about the patterns of diseases explaining that all NCDs are fundamentally connected in some way or another and that it is likely that an individual who suffers from one NCD is likely to be diagnosed with a 2nd and 3rd if the cause is not treated. These are said to be co-morbid diseases.
He uses obesity as an example. Obesity is a proinflammatory condition in which the immune system is chronically activated attacking its own cells and damaging tissue- it is highlighted as a risk factor for over 32 diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, asthma and cancers. This is known as the obesity tree.
He highlights four pillars of NCDs-
NCD’s are programmed early in life
Uncontrolled inflammation maintains the disease state
Having one increases the chances of another
Microbiome status affects the risk of developing NCD’s and determines the effectiveness of treatment
Installing a healthy microbiome helps to protect against developing and reverse NCDs by maintaining a regulated immune system and to allow effective drug treatment.
Looking at changes in our diets and lifestyle and the evolving biology and medicinal approaches to human disease the author identifies 6 prime factors that he believes drive the current NCD epidemic:
Antibiotic overreach
As I've mentioned when the revolution of antibiotics began the belief was that a bacteria free human= a disease free human. However nowadays, the major killers are no longer caused by a single species and unlike earlier days when antibiotics were used in a case of life or death they are now more routinely used to treat symptoms.
One round of antibiotics can damage your entire microbiome, causing your whole metabolism and interconnected functions to be affected and therefore long term antibiotic use can actually become very harmful for our natural disease defence systems.
2. Food revolution and diet
In the current western world we are spoilt for choice when it comes to the food available to us. Frozen meals provide convenience, importing foods allow us to experience foods from all over the worlds and processing foods increases shelf life.
What we do not realise is many of these processes have striped foods of natural probiotics and nutrients.
3. Urbanisation
It has become a lot more common to move to the city, as cities provide greater job opportunities, social climbing and easy transportation however it also has consequences on our microbiome. A study comparing city to farm life found that the immune systems of individuals from the farms (exposed to dusts, earth and natural microbes) have better balanced immune responses and less unhealthy inflammation.
4. Birth delivery mode
As touched on, the first moments of our lives are the most crucial for establishing our microbiome and a healthy immune system. Delivery by caesarean section can inhibit and delay properly seeding the microbiome and immune system unless complementary therapy is used in addition.
5. Misdirected efforts at human safety
There have been a number of cases were a drug/chemical has previously been authorised as safe and later has been observed to be significantly damaging for our microbiome (e.g. the drug thalidomide was given to pregnant women to help with morning sickness and later found to cause birth defects). Further safety testing should consider the microbiome.
6. Mammalian only human medicine
The current default to human medicine seems to be- feeling off? See a doctor, leave with an antibiotic. We are promoting diets and restricting food groups (e.g. gluten-free, low-carb, vegan) as a method of treating disease yet many of these foods are required for our microbiome to maintain important processes such as metabolism and digestion and therefore we are working against our disease response systems and in fact promoting disease.
A promising and exciting revolution is the personal/precision medicine initiative which will provide unique therapeutic approaches to treat an individual however Dr Dietert expresses his concerns that the success of this initiative will depend on whether we understand an individual with only a mammalian genome or whether we consider the whole 'superorganism'.
Part 3
In part 3 the author explain with what we now know, what we can do to optimise our microbiome health.
When it comes to self care there is A LOT of misguided information and myths. How to get a summer body? Can I heal my gut if I take this probiotic supplement? What is the best food to eat for …?
Ultimately the 'best' process for self-care is understanding what works for YOU. When you chose to work on your gut microbiome you may find that somethings are easier to implement and maintain than others.
Essentially you are completely unique- Researchers explain this has to do with your own pattern of gut microbes (enterotype) and while some companies offer tests to understand your enterotype you don’t necessarily need to know it to understand your microbiome its just a factor to be aware of.
There are four major phyla of gut bacteria that make up our microbiota- Actinobacteria (A), Bacteriodetes (B) and firmicuties (F) Proteobacteria (P) and every individual possesses a unique composition of these. In general, the B :F ratio is higher in lean individuals.
Microbes and the brain
The gut has such a big impact on our neurological function that it is has become known as the 'second brain'. The author highlights that it’s the microbes that are in control of this.
Our microbiome is a reflection of what we eat. Certain bacteria digest certain foods e.g a high fibre diet is preferred and facilitates growth of B bacteria and a high fat diet promotes F bacteria. The by-products of this digestion drive feelings of euphoria and reward which essentially dictates our cravings (eat food X > promote growth and function of microbes X > crave food X).
Therefore, to alter your cravings for certain foods you need to alter the composition of microbes in your gut. You may think this makes no sense- to stop craving certain foods you need to eat different foods, its easier said than done right? But no. The author explains that there is no need to cut out foods to alter your microbes. Simply by reducing these foods slightly and more importantly increasing the foods that promotes an abundance of healthy microbes you can reduce your cravings for pro-inflammatory foods.
He also explains the importance of understanding the role gut microbes play in the production of neurotransmitters responsible for our emotions (dopamine- reward, serotonin- happiness, acetylcholine- relaxation). Therefore, foods we eat also have a big impact on our mood and emotions.
What can you do?
In part 1 and 2 Dr Dietert detailed how obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, dementia, autism and hundreds more NCDs are robbing us of our lives, making us dependent on others and draining our health service and government resources. In part 3 he explains that while there is still more research to be made there is enough evidence to give us the confidence to take back control of our health. The answer is not a restrictive diet or a complete change in lifestyle but understanding that our lifestyle needs to support us as a whole organism and not simply one species. Our diet, lifestyle and environment is connected to our microbiome which is connected to our mood, our cravings, controls our immune response and when and how it reacts to foods and in turn dictates whether we develop NCDs and how we react to treatment.
Finally, at the end of the book the author shares some things that you can do to take action and create a healthier WHOLE you.
Probiotics- probiotic foods are food contain live bacteria species and so help to promote rebiosis and shift the balance of microbe species in your gut.
Fermented foods- fermentation is the process where yeast or bacteria break down carbohydrates and produce waste products (this also happens in your large intestine during digestion) to essential preserve foods but they also contain probiotics. Some fermented foods include:
Sauerkraut
Kimchi
Kombucha
Miso
Tempeh
Exercise- The level of exercise effects the ratio of B to F bacteria. Too little is associated with a high levels of F bacteria and promotes inflammation while on the other hand over exercising combined with calorie restrictions limits the number of healthy bacteria. A happy medium is proven to maintain a balanced immune response and an anti-inflammatory mix of microbes.
While I have only touched the surface on all the useful information Dr Dietert shares throughout this book, I hope this summary gave you a greater understanding of the microbiome and how you can optimise your health and take control back from the NCD epidemic.
Maybe you might even want to read the whole book now ;) In case you do, here is a link to the book on amazon> Buy the book here
And if you want to chat with me about anything regarding the book or the microbiome, I’d love to hear from you!! You can contact me by email linked below or on my instagram @whatatreat_letseat :)))