Heard on All Things Considered
The words "endangered species" often conjure up images of big exotic creatures. Think elephants, leopards and polar bears.
But there's another of type of extinction that may be occurring, right now, inside our bodies.
Yes, I'm talking about the microbiome — that collection of bacteria in our intestines that influences everything from metabolism and the immune system to moods and behavior.
For the past few years, scientists around the world have been accumulating evidence that the Western lifestyle is altering our microbiome. Some species of bacteria are even disappearing to undetectable levels.
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