Millions of different types of bacteria reside in our intestinal tract, and the composition of these bacteria can have dramatic effects on one’s health.
A new study has found that one side effect of an unfavorable microbiome may be arthritis. The researchers found that subjects with rheumatoid arthritis had significantly higher levels of a bacteria known as Prevotella copri. The authors suggested that Prevotella copri may be implicated in the pathogenesis of arthritis, and that treatments aimed at improving the composition of one’s gut bacteria may be useful for these individuals.
Conclusions
Unfortunately, it is difficult to determine cause-and-effect with these types of studies. Do the P. copri bacteria cause arthritis, or is there something about arthritis that is leading to an increase in these types of bacteria? As of now, it is impossible to say.
Regardless, a vast plethora of research has demonstrated that the bacteria in our intestinal tract can have a profound impact on many different aspects of our well-being, and those who wish to maintain optimal health should take steps in order to promote a healthy microbiome of bacteria.
References
1 Scher JU, et al. Expansion of intestinal prevotella cpri correlates with enhanced susceptibility to arthritis. Elife. 2013 Nov; 2(0).