What science knows about the microbiome: simple words about a complex system

Світлана Бурмей
3 days ago
5 min read

The cosmos within us

Humanity has made great strides: we have explored space, landed on the moon, and developed artificial intelligence, but until recently we knew almost nothing about the universe that exists inside our own bellies. We used to think of ourselves as completely autonomous beings, but science has proven a startling fact: we are colonized.

Our bodies contain about 30 trillion of our own human cells, while the number of bacterial cells reaches about 38 trillion. That is, the ratio of microbial to human cells is about 1:1, with bacteria even slightly more. This vast ecosystem has been called the "microbiome", and it has turned out to be the center of the modern biomedical revolution. It is microorganisms that control our immunity, metabolism, mental health (from anxiety to depression), and physiological state in general.

Microbiota or microbiome: what's the difference?

In the scientific world and the media, these terms are often confused, but the difference is quite simple to explain. If we can take a living microorganism from the surface of the skin, saliva or intestines, isolate it, provide it with nutrients (cultivate) and identify it - this is called microbiota . However, the microbiome is a much broader concept. It is the totality of the entire genetic pool (genes) of all microorganisms (bacteria, viruses, microscopic fungi) that inhabit us, together with the environment in which they live. Today we know that the microbiome is present not only in the intestines, but also on the skin, in the oral cavity, genitourinary and even respiratory systems.

Why don't universal diets and conventional probiotics work?

For a long time, medicine has used standardized protocols: if you have a stomach ache, take a broad-spectrum probiotic; if you want to lose weight, count calories. However, the epidemic of obesity and chronic diseases is only growing. Why?

Because there is no one-size-fits-all solution. If you give the same apple to different people, their bodies will process it differently, extracting different nutrients and getting completely different amounts of energy (calories). It depends entirely on the composition of their unique microbiome.

Moreover, buying generic "multi-strain" probiotics at random can actually be harmful. By consuming random foreign bacteria, you create stiff competition in your gut, where the new microbes can overwhelm the remnants of your own, native (commensal) microflora.

Personalized medicine and solutions line from Ediens

Cutting-edge science suggests moving to the concept of 4P medicine (personalized, predictive, preventive, patient-centered). Each person has their own unique "omics-profile," which is influenced by birth conditions, stress levels, nutrition, exercise, and environment.

Ukrainian biotech company Ediens, with over 37 years of scientific research behind it, has developed a unique ecosystem for working with the microbiome. It is based not on guesswork, but on accurate diagnostics and the use of innovative biologics.

This approach is implemented at several levels:

1. Quick solutions: New generation niche pharmabiotics There is not always time and money for in-depth genetic analysis. For such cases, Ediens scientists conducted massive cohort studies of patients with various diseases, identified typical disorders and created targeted pharmabiotics . These are not ordinary probiotics, but drugs with clinically proven, predictable action, based on a patented formula of 11 proprietary strains of bacteria. The line includes:

"Intestinal microbiome" : eliminates flatulence, constipation, helps with chronic inflammation and restores metabolism (for weight gain or loss).
"Skin Microbiome" : acts from the inside to eliminate the causes of atopic dermatitis, acne and seborrhea.
"Oral microbiome" : for the prevention and treatment of dental diseases (caries, mucous membrane problems).
"Microbiome of the genitourinary system" : restores the balance of microflora (fights ureaplasma, mycoplasma), provides an antifungal effect.
"Metabolic. Antistress" : reduces the effects of chronic stress, restores the gut-brain axis, improves sleep and gives energy.
"ProfiLactor" : a specialized children's supplement (from 3 years old) to support digestion and protect against caries.

2. Deep Personalization: From Diagnosis to Nutrition Plan For those seeking a fundamental solution to problems, an individual approach is used:

In-depth study : Microbiota (gut, skin, oral or vaginal) is analyzed using cultivation and transcriptomics/metabolomics methods. Scientists establish a diagnostic relationship - who exactly is causing the problem and which beneficial bacteria are missing.
Personalized nutrition plan : After a genetic analysis of the microbiome and filling out a questionnaire, the company's IT algorithms create an individual diet. We don't feed ourselves, we feed our bacteria. This plan contains traditional and fermented foods that serve as ideal prebiotics for your beneficial microflora.
Personalized cosmetics (BioMe): For people with skin problems (acne, dryness, dermatitis), Ediens creates personalized soap with the addition of specific strains of bacteria that specifically suppress pathogens in this client.

3. Biological insurance: Individual microbiota bank

The highest form of personalization is maintaining your own health. Each person's body is unique, and the most valuable "currency" is your own commensal bacteria. Ediens offers the "Individual Bank" service: your healthy microorganisms are isolated and frozen in a biobank. If in the future you experience severe stress, illness, or undergo a course of aggressive antibiotics, you will be able to restore your digestion and immunity with the help of your own microbes (autoprobiotics), which are perfectly recognized by your immune system without any conflicts.

Conclusions

The microbiome is a complex ecosystem that dictates what we eat, how we feel, and what diseases we get. The times of "blind" pill-taking and calorie-counting diets are over. The future belongs to a personalized approach: from daily support with targeted pharmabiotics to deep genetic diagnostics and the creation of banks of our own microbiota. By learning to understand and properly "feed" our microbiome, we get a real chance for a high-quality, healthy, and active longevity.

Short questions and answers (Q&A)

1. What is the difference between microbiota and microbiome?

Answer: The microbiota is the collection of living microorganisms (bacteria) that we can isolate from our mucous membranes or skin and grow in the laboratory. The microbiome is a more global concept that includes all the genes of these microorganisms (including viruses and fungi), as well as the environment in which they live and function in our bodies.

2. Why is it better to choose pharmabiotics (for example, the Ediens line) instead of regular probiotics from the pharmacy?

Answer: Conventional probiotics often contain many random strains that can conflict with your own microflora and suppress it. Ediens Pharmabiotics are drugs with proven clinical effect. They contain specially selected proprietary strains of bacteria that purposefully suppress the causative agents of problems (for example, acne or flatulence), but at the same time do not harm your native, beneficial microorganisms.

3. Is it true that the microbiome can help you lose weight permanently without strict diets?

Answer: Yes. People with different microbiomes get different amounts of calories from the same food. Scientific experiments have shown that if you transplant the microbiome from an obese person into mice, they will also gain weight on the same diet. By creating your personalized microbiome-based diet plan, you start feeding the good bacteria, which naturally normalizes metabolism and eliminates constant cravings for junk food.

4. What is an Individual Microbiota Bank and why is it needed?

Answer: It's a kind of "biological insurance." While you're healthy, the lab isolates your own beneficial bacteria (commensals) and preserves them in a biobank. If your microbiome is affected in the future by stress, a serious illness, or a course of antibiotics, you can take your saved bacteria. They are a perfect fit for you, instantly take root, and restore the body the fastest.