Microbiota, microbiome or microflora: how to say it correctly and why it is important for health.

Біговий захід GoMove в Ужгороді за підтримки Ediens

You’ve probably heard the phrase: “We are what we eat.” But modern science says it more precisely: we are also those who live in us. Until 2016, it was believed that there were many times more bacteria in our bodies than our own cells. The latest calculations by mathematicians show that we and our microorganisms share the body approximately 50:50: about 30 trillion of our cells versus 38 trillion bacterial cells.

But what is the correct name for these "roommates"? Microflora? Microbiota? Or maybe microbiome? Let's figure it out - after all, the approach to your health depends on the correct understanding of the terms.

1.⁠ ⁠Microflora: why are we moving away from this word?

You have probably heard the term “microflora” most often. It is sometimes used even by doctors out of habit. However, from a scientific point of view, it is somewhat outdated. “Flora” refers us to the world of plants, and bacteria are a completely different kingdom. Therefore, in modern evidence-based medicine and in Ediens practice, we use more precise concepts: microbiota and microbiome.

2.⁠ ⁠Microbiota: The living “workers” of your body

When we talk about microbiota, we mean the collection of living microorganisms that inhabit specific areas of our body: the intestines, skin, oral mucosa, vagina, etc.

The main features of the microbiota:

•⁠ ⁠These are living organisms that can be isolated from your body.

•⁠ ⁠They can be "cultivated," that is, grown in a laboratory on a nutrient medium.

•⁠ ⁠They can be identified (learn their "name") using biochemical methods or mass spectrometry (MALDI test).

Why do we study the microbiota?

To create personalized drugs - pharmabiotics. If we can isolate your live beneficial bacteria, we can create your personal "bank" (autoprobiotics) and use them to restore health in the future. This is the most valuable currency of your body, because your own bacteria always take root better than foreign ones.

3.⁠ ⁠The Microbiome: The Genetic Universe Inside You

The microbiome is a much broader concept. It is the collection of all the genes of the microorganisms that live within us.

If the microbiota is a list of “who lives,” then the microbiome shows “what they can do.” It is the full genetic potential that influences:

Immune, endocrine and lymphatic systems
Brain function (known as the gut-brain axis)
Vitamin metabolism and synthesis
Digestion
Skin - its elasticity
Sexual health
Oral mucosal health
Presence or absence of allergies

Why do we study the microbiome?

Including for selecting your individual nutrition plan. Just knowing the names of bacteria is not enough. To create an individual nutrition plan, we need to analyze the genes of bacteria and understand what metabolites (substances) they produce, that is, understand their functions. It is based on genetic analysis of the microbiome and complex mathematical algorithms (and not simple AI) that we at Ediens develop personal recommendations for products that will be medicine for you.

Bottom line: what's the difference in practice?

Imagine that your body is a big company.

•⁠ ⁠Microbiota is a list of employees who came to work. We know them by face and can interact with them (for example, give a bonus in the form of a pharmabiotic).

•⁠ ⁠The microbiome is the sum of all their skills, instructions, and tools. Knowing this, we can redesign the processes in the company (change nutrition) to make it work efficiently.

Understanding this difference allows us to approach your health from the perspective of 4P medicine: personalized, preventive (preventing diseases), predictive, and with your active participation.

Want to learn more about your inner world? Sign up for a microbiota or microbiome study at Ediens today