redicts Schell, researchers will decode the genomes of many more intestinal microbes. Investigators may also begin to address such issues as whether a person's diet changes his or her intestinal microflora. "I think the gut population of a vegetarian is clearly going to be different" from that of a meat eater, says Schell.
Gordon offers an even more provocative question: Do intestinal microbes influence a person's weight? "Over time, could relatively minor differences in the ability to extract nutrients in some individuals predispose them to obesity?" he asks.
The complicated nation of bacteria within our intestines is a "window into our biology and how we've evolved as a species," concludes Gordon.
Heather is the Administrator of the IBS Message Boards. She’s the author of Eating for IBS and The First Year: IBS, and the CEO of Heather's Tummy Care. Join her IBS Newsletter. Meet Heather on Facebook!