You Can't Choose Your Poop

You can thank Mom and Dad for your gut bacteria.

Via wordpress.com

Scientists showed that you stand to inherit more than your widow’s peak and double joints from your parents. Biologists studying the community of bacteria that normally grows in our intestines (called the “microbiome”) showed that identical twins are more likely to have the same species of bacteria growing in their gut than non-identical twins. In the past, others have shown that the microbiome affects important aspects of our health such as our weight and immune system. However, until now it was thought that the bacteria that make up our microbiome were largely a result of our environment, including diet. This new study suggests that there might be more to the story, and perhaps you can blame your family for your crappy microbiome.

Specifically, scientists found a group of bacteria, Christensenella, that are most likely to be shared between identical twins. Luckily, it seems like Chistensenella, are the good guys: when they were transplanted to obese mice, the obese mice slowed their weight gain. Scientists hope that this knowledge can affect how we treat disorders such as diabetes and obesity.