While not previously realized, the gut microbiome may respond in a manner similar to that of the immune system in response to dysbiosis, or, in layman’s terms, an alteration of the gut environment (caused by malnutrition, among other things). A brand new study by Matteo Serino et al. of the Universite Paul Sabatier in Toulouse, and recently published in Molecular Biology Systems, seems to suggest that the gut microbiome may become stronger in response to alterations in the internal environment. Just as your body learns to respond to various diseases following introduction via innoculation, so too does the gut microbiome, which learns to adapt better when faced with an altering environment.
Read more: Effects of gut flora revisited