Research Press Release
Nature Microbiology
August 1, 2023
A Perspective arguing that what is said about the human microbiome contains inaccuracies that are not supported by solid evidence,Nature Microbiologywill be published in The authors highlight persistent and emerging myths and misconceptions about the human microbiome, and outline such factual errors.
The human gut microbiota, and in particular the links between this complex microbial community and health and disease, has been the subject of an explosion of research and a great deal of public interest. Such strong interest has led to hype and perpetuated some misconceptions. The repeated retelling of the microbiota leads to the belief that what is being said is true, even though there is no strong supporting evidence and the original source of the information remains obscure. .
Alan Walker and Lesley Hoyles offer 12 easy-to-understand examples of myths and misconceptions prevalent in descriptions of the human microbiome, and call attention to them. Among the myths are the view that the microbiome is a new field of study (the first studies of microbes associated with humans were actually done hundreds of years ago), and the belief that Joshua Lederberg called “the microbiome There is an assumption that the word “” was newly created. A recurring statement about the microbiota is that it vastly outnumbers human cells, with a ratio as high as 10:1. This is a rough calculation and the actual ratio is close to 1:1. As assumptions that may have more serious implications for future research, the authors point to the unsubstantiated view that “most gut microbes cannot be cultured in the laboratory,” and that preliminary experiments have revealed that uncritical reiteration of associations between microbiota and disease that have not been replicated in previous studies.
The authors believe that recognizing even minor myths and misconceptions can help avoid unproductive research projects, encourage critical thinking, and contribute to microbiome science. They argue that it is important to maintain people’s trust.
doi:10.1038/s41564-023-01426-7
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