Finnsnes researcher with shit theory – People magazine

Two scientists believe transplanting stool can reduce obesity.

FINNSNES: The two professors Orjan Olsvik from Finnsnes and Tore Midtvedt researching bacteria in the intestinal flora. According to newspaper Nordlys who first wrote about the case, the researchers found that now that transplantation of feces can be a means to reduce obesity.

From mice to humans

There is already attempted in mice, and studies should now be followed up on people.

– Recent studies show that if one transfers gut flora of obese mice to normal mice, they also describe the normal weight mice fete- and vice versa. Gut flora from normal mice makes obese mice leaner. These studies are now being followed up on people, and can provide an alternative to correct undesirable obesity, the researchers wrote in a blog post.

In the post at the University of Tromsø (UiT) its website points out, however, researchers found that the results are not directly transferable to humans. It is therefore important to find the biological mechanisms that allow normal flora bacteria are involved in more than protecting and digest food.

Old Technology

Treatment of patients with transfer of fresh stool is according scientists an ancient form of treatment. A course of antibiotics can cause damage to the intestinal flora. Intestine may then be colonized with Clostridium difficile -bakterier, producing toxins and destroy the inside of the intestine.

– In 1958 treated the American gastrologen Eismann a patient with this type of infection by supplying normal flora in the form of feces from a healthy person. This is called f ECAL m ikrobiota t transplantation (FMT), and are described used in Chinese medicine for 1700 years ago, the researchers wrote.

from mouth to anus

the intestinal function is to take up energy and nutrients from the foods we eat, but also excrete its excess and convert it to stool. Although much research on the area known little about the individual significance and function of the thousands of different bacterial species.

– It is very intricate processes that take place on the way from the mouth to the anus, and amazingly gets intestine using massive amounts of bacteria – our normal flora. It is vital for us, and we have barely begun to understand what features these bacteria have, where they spend their lives inside of us, writes the two professors.