World Microbiome Day: What you should know about the bacteria that live with us

Світлана Бурмей
21 hours ago
6 min read

On June 27, World Microbiome Day, the scientific community and doctors around the world draw attention to the most important but invisible part of our body - the trillions of microorganisms that inhabit our bodies. For decades, we considered bacteria exclusively enemies that need to be destroyed with antiseptics and antibiotics. However, the modern biomedical revolution has proven the opposite: we are a complex "superorganism", and without our microbial helpers, a healthy human life is simply impossible.

This article will reveal the secrets of the microbiome, explain why conventional treatment and diet approaches no longer work, and how innovative developments such as pharmabiotics and Ediens' "First Microbiome Salad" are helping to restore the lost balance.

Who is the boss in the house: the mathematics of our body

How much of us are human and how much are microbial? Modern, accurate calculations by mathematicians and biologists are astonishing: the human body consists of approximately 30 trillion of its own cells, while the number of bacterial cells reaches about 38 trillion. That is, the ratio is approximately 1:1 — we are only 50% human organisms.

Our microbiome is the collection of genes from all the microorganisms (bacteria, viruses, microscopic fungi, and protozoa) that inhabit our intestines, oral mucosa, skin, eyes, and genitourinary system. This invisible organ is formed from the moment we are born: when a child passes through the natural birth canal, he receives the first and most important portion of maternal bacteria, which trigger the work of his immunity.

These trillions of bacteria do a tremendous job: they help break down food, synthesize vital vitamins (K, C, B12), folic acid and short-chain fatty acids (butyrates, propionates). Up to 75 percent of our body's immune response depends on intestinal microbes. In addition, thanks to the gut-brain axis, they directly affect our mood, controlling the level of anxiety and depression.

Why is the modern microbiome “starving”?

The industrialized world has dealt a devastating blow to the human microbiome. Significant environmental changes, the overuse of antibiotics and antiseptics, the increase in cesarean sections, and artificial feeding have led to the loss of hundreds of species of beneficial bacteria in our intestines.

However, the most important factor that determines the health of our bacteria is diet. The typical Western diet has a critical flaw: almost 60% of the calories we consume are ultra-processed foods, devoid of natural nutrients, but oversaturated with chemical additives and sugar. Modern scientists emphasize that healthy gut bacteria need a large amount of dietary fiber (fiber) from vegetables and fruits every day (28-40 grams per day is recommended). When beneficial bacteria do not have enough fiber, they begin to starve, which leads to dysbiosis and becomes the cause of many chronic diseases: obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension and food allergies.

Food as Medicine: “The First Microbiome Salad”

Realizing the importance of fiber, many people try to drastically change their diet by consuming huge bowls of greens. But this often ends with severe bloating (flatulence) and abdominal pain. The reason is simple: if you haven’t eaten vegetables for a long time, those specific bacteria that could ferment complex fiber simply disappear, and undigested food begins to ferment with the participation of pathogenic flora.

To solve this problem and allow people to get the most out of greens without any discomfort, the Ukrainian biotechnology company Ediens, in collaboration with partners (TM "Zelenyok"), has developed an innovative functional product - " The First Microbiome Salad " .

This revolutionary product is a synbiotic that combines nature with cutting-edge science. It consists of high-quality fresh lettuce leaves (prebiotic) and a special sachet of live helper bacteria (probiotic). When you add these bacteria to the greens before consumption, they are instantly activated. Once in the intestines, they immediately begin to break down complex plant fibers, physiologically preventing fermentation and gas formation. This way, you nourish your microbiome and get energy without unpleasant symptoms.

From Blind Experiments to Pharmabiotics: The Ediens Line

When a person experiences discomfort or illness, the most common solution is to take mass-market probiotics from the pharmacy without control. However, the medical community warns: prescribing biological products “blindly” is a great evil. Foreign strains of bacteria, getting into the intestines, begin to compete fiercely for resources and can aggressively destroy the remnants of your own beneficial microflora.

Modern 4P medicine (personalized, preventive, predictive, patient-centered) requires evidence. That is why Ediens scientists created pharmabiotics - next-generation biologics with clinically proven action, which contain patented author's strains. Each composition of bacteria was carefully selected based on cohort clinical studies for certain nosologies (diseases).

Today, the line of "quick solutions" (Ediens pharmabiotics) covers the body's key needs:

" My Second Brain. Gut Microbiome " : Helps quickly restore balance in the intestines, eliminates chronic inflammation, fights flatulence (bloating), constipation, and helps with physiological weight loss or weight gain.
" Metabolic. Anti-Stress " : Works with the gut-brain axis, physiologically reducing the effects of chronic stress. It optimizes digestion, improves sleep quality, provides stable energy, and reduces body fat.
" My beautiful skin. Skin microbiome " : An oral pharmabiotic in capsules that treats the skin from the inside. It restores the barrier function, reducing systemic inflammation, which manifests itself as acne, atopic dermatitis or seborrhea. In addition to the capsules, a line of cosmetic soap with probiotics (against acne) has been developed, which specifically suppresses the pathogen Cutibacterium acnes directly in the skin pores.
" My sexual health. The microbiome of the genitourinary system " : Restores the natural balance of the intimate area, regulates the immune response of the mucous membranes and provides antibacterial and antifungal effects (including inhibition of Ureaplasma and Mycoplasma ).
" Oral Microbiome. My Fresh Breath " : Prevents and treats dental diseases of the oral mucosa and gums, eliminating the root cause of bad breath.
" ProfiLactOr " (for children) : A children's niche supplement that protects against gastroduodenal disorders, flatulence, and oral diseases, strengthening the overall immunity of babies.
" For active longevity " : Helps slow down aging processes at the cellular level, restore microbiota after taking medications, and preserve energy.

The future of deep personalization

For those with complex chronic diseases or seeking maximum control over their health, an individual approach is used. Instead of guessing the diet by calories, a deep molecular-genetic study of the microbiome ( Omics profile ) is conducted . Based on this data, a special IT algorithm calculates a fully personalized nutrition plan. The algorithm selects those local and fermented foods that will serve as the ideal prebiotic exclusively for your unique bacteria.

Moreover, advanced science allows you to create an Individual Bank of Commensal Microbiota - a kind of biological insurance. Your own, strongest and most beneficial bacteria are isolated, cultured and frozen in a cryobank. If in the future you experience stress or aggressive antibiotic therapy, your microbiome can be restored with the help of your own "native" microorganisms, which will take root 100%.

Conclusions

World Microbiome Day is a great opportunity to reconsider our attitude towards our own bodies. We are not alone, we are an ecosystem. By destroying bacteria with fast food and uncontrolled medications, we are destroying our own health. However, science gives us powerful tools to restore it. Eating functional foods (like the “First Microbiome Salad”), using targeted pharmabiotics from Ediens, and deep personalized diagnostics allow us to take control of our weight, immunity, youth, and emotional state. A healthy microbiome is the foundation of a healthy and long life.

Short questions and answers (Q&A)

1. What is the microbiome and why is it so important to us?

Answer: The microbiome is the collection of genes from all the microorganisms (bacteria, viruses, fungi) that inhabit our bodies (gut, skin, mouth). Interestingly, there are even more bacterial cells in our bodies (about 38 trillion) than human cells (30 trillion). They directly control our immunity, digestion, weight, and even mood through the gut-brain axis.

2. How do innovative pharmabiotics differ from regular probiotics from the pharmacy?

Answer: Conventional probiotics are often prescribed “blindly” and can aggressively compete with your own microflora, harming it. Pharmabiotics are new-generation biologics with clinically proven effects. They are created on the basis of patented author's strains that have undergone clinical studies and act specifically on a specific problem (for example, acne or flatulence) without disturbing the overall balance.

3. What products are included in the Ediens Pharmabiotics line and what do they treat?

Answer: The line covers key body systems: "Intestinal Microbiome" (for bloating and weight control), "Metabolic. Antistress" (for improving sleep, energy and reducing stress), "Skin Microbiome" (to fight acne and atopic dermatitis from the inside), "Oral Microbiome" (for healthy teeth and gums), "Urinary Microbiome" (antibacterial protection of the intimate area), as well as products for longevity and children's "ProfiLactOr".

4. What is the “First Microbiome Salad” and why doesn’t it cause bloating?

Answer: This is a revolutionary synbiotic product that combines fresh lettuce leaves (a fiber-rich prebiotic) with a separate sachet containing live helper bacteria (a probiotic). By adding these bacteria to your salad before eating, you provide your body with microorganisms that instantly activate and break down complex plant fibers directly in the intestines, completely preventing fermentation and gas formation.