Episode #223: The Microbiome and Its Effects on All Other Bodily Systems with Chidozie Ojobor, Ph.D.
Optimizing your gut microbiome is arguably one of the most important things you can do for your health as it plays so many integral roles in almost every body system. This is why, in this episode of Biohacking Superhuman Performance, I chat with Chidozie Ojobor, Ph.D. about the importance of the microbiome's influence on human health, particularly on the gut-brain connection and mental well-being.
He discusses the role of butyrate, leaky gut/brain, probiotics, and the importance of diet diversity in promoting a healthy microbiome. The conversation also covers the impact of modern lifestyle, antibiotics, and colon cleansing on gut health, and how to get accessible gut microbiome testing - in particular, the testing done by Vitract.
Chidozie Ojobor Ph.D. is a Molecular Biologist with over 12 years of experience in Medical Microbiology research, and the co-founder and Chief Science Officer of Vitract. In his early research years, he worked on human rotaviruses that cause severe gastroenteritis in children.
Afterward, he proceeded to earn his Ph.D. in Molecular Genetics from the University of Toronto, Canada. During his doctoral training, he developed through genetic engineering, novel therapeutic entities that target disease-causing bacteria such as the ones found in complex biological ecosystems as the gut microbiome. These tools he developed worked with high specificity and precision, making them the ideal candidates for targeted therapy. Dr. Ojobor's works in the fields he worked in have been well-cited by numerous scientists across the globe.
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What We Discuss:
00:00 Introduction and Background
00:52 Advancements in Microbiome Research
04:39 The Significance of the Microbiome
05:09 The Gut-Brain Connection
06:22 Microbiome and Mental Health
08:11 The Role of Butyrate in Gut Health
09:06 Butyrate Supplementation
14:05 Leaky Gut and Leaky Brain
21:11 Foods that Promote Butyrate Production
23:06 Probiotics and Microbiome Diversity
29:23 The Role of Geography and Lifestyle in Gut Microbiome
30:03 The Importance of Gut Diversity for Health
31:35 Impact of Modern Lifestyle on Gut Diversity
32:30 Adaptation of the Gut Microbiome to the Environment
34:03 The Influence of Environmental Factors on the Gut Microbiome
35:14 The Complexity of Achieving the 'Perfect' Gut Microbiome
36:03 The Functional Level of the Gut Microbiome
37:19 The Impact of Antibiotics on the Gut Microbiome
39:10 The Resilience of the Gut Microbiome
40:33 The Use of Probiotics During Antibiotic Treatment
45:36 The Detrimental Effects of Prolonged Antibiotic Usage
48:19 The Link Between Food Poisoning and Gut Health
49:17 The Detrimental Effects of Colon Cleansing
50:45 The Controversy Surrounding Enemas and Colonics
53:19 The Impact of Chronic Stress and Antibiotic Overuse on the Microbiome
54:04 The Transition to Gut Microbiome Testing
55:28 The Need for Affordable and Comprehensive Gut Microbiome Tests
56:21 Understanding the Vytract Gut Microbiome Test
58:09 Transparency and Personalization in Gut Microbiome Testing
59:42 Short-Term Variability and Clinical Utility of Microbiome Testing
01:03:41 The Importance of Accepting Differences in Dietary Approaches
01:09:47 The Focus of Vytract's Gut Microbiome Test
01:11:30 Where to Find More Information and Order a Vitract Test
Key Takeaways:
Reduced gut diversity, often seen in individuals living in civilized nations, can have negative health implications.
Antibiotics can disrupt the gut microbiome, and the use of probiotics during and after antibiotic treatment may help restore balance.
Prolonged antibiotic usage can have long-term consequences for gut health, including increased risk of certain conditions.
Colon cleansing and enemas may have detrimental effects on the gut microbiome and should be approached with caution. Chronic stress and antibiotic overuse can disrupt the microbiome.
Gut microbiome testing provides valuable insights into gut health.
Affordable and comprehensive tests are needed to improve access to microbiome testing.
Short-term changes in the microbiome can have clinical utility.