Giant banks of faeces to archive our intestinal microorganisms?

Biobanks of faeces: a growing phenomenon

Imagine a huge library with shelves full of... faecal samples. Does that sound far-fetched?

In any case, it doesn't shock microbiologists, who are becoming increasingly dedicated to the large-scale archiving of our excrement in gigantic biobanks.

The proof is in the growing number of projects around the world aimed at collecting our faeces.

Back in 2008, the Human Microbiome Project (HMP), initiated by the US National Institutes of Health, collected biological samples from over 200 volunteers.

Eleven years later, the Million Microbiome of Humans Project (MMHP) is following in its footsteps, with a highly ambitious objective: to collect 1 million human microbial samples, including faecal matter, from various countries and continents, with a view to building the world's largest database.

Similar national-level initiatives have been developed, including American Gut (United States, 2012), Chinese Gut (China, 2017) and, more recently, French Gut (France, 2022).

Collecting human excrement: a way of archiving our intestinal microorganisms

But why is there such a buzz about our excrement?

Because through this initiative, researchers hope to collect, analyse and preserve the billions of intestinal microorganisms that colonise the human tract.

In detail, there are several scientific reasons for this:

• to preserve microbial diversity. The transition to a processed diet and the systematic use of antibiotics have altered the diversity of our microbiota over the centuries (1). The extinction of certain beneficial strains that have not yet been identified as such (or isolated, for that matter) would pose a serious threat to our health. Archiving them at least means that they can be kept in a safe place so that they can be used at a later date, for example to treat certain current or future diseases;
• to study the impact of the microbiota on human health. A better understanding of our microbiota could pave the way for new therapeutic strategies to combat inflammatory or chronic non-communicable diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes and asthma (2-4);
• to develop new probiotics and prebiotics. Extensive mapping of human microbiomes would help to identify bacterial strains with positive effects on health, and by extension to design new generations of probiotics (the living microorganisms themselves), prebiotics (which serve as food for them and support their implantation) and postbiotics (the metabolites produced by intestinal bacteria, which are of growing interest to the scientific community);
• to personalise treatments and supplements. More accurate identification and interpretation of variations in the composition of the human microbiome could potentially serve as a springboard for personalised therapies (diet, drugs, food supplements, etc.).

Probiotics and postbiotics: at the forefront of the battle

The range of pro- and postbiotics is expanding every year to target ever more specific problems.

In the field of vision, for example, the inactivated form of Lacticaseibacillus paracasei has been much in the news. Research suggests that it could modulate the inflammatory reactions induced by visual fatigue through stimulation of the eye's immune cells (the Vision PostBiotic supplement is based on the proprietary postbiotic strain Lacticaseibacillus paracasei KW3110, supported by in vitro and in vivo scientific studies) (5).

Another prominent issue in 'biotics' is the fight against the antibiotic-resistant Helicobacter pylori bacterium, responsible for almost 80% of peptic ulcers. Researchers have succeeded in isolating an inactivated strain of Lactobacillus reuteri called DMS 17648, capable of co-aggregating with the pathogen to facilitate its expulsion via the digestive tract (see H. Pylori Fight, or its advanced version H. Pylori Fight Advanced Formula) (6).

The field of slimming is also benefiting from these prodigious advances. Several studies conducted on obese subjects have reported the potential benefits of Lactobacillus gasseri supplementation in reducing weight, waist and hip circumference, and visceral fat mass (7-8). Certain plant bacteria, such as Lactobacillus fermentum strains K7-Lb1, K8-Lb1 and K11-Lb3, have also shown promising effects on regulating body weight in individuals with excess fat around the abdomen (our L. Gasseri & SlimBiotics® synergy combines precisely these 4 probiotics in a single formula) (9).

In the pioneering sector of longevity, it's impossible not to mention urolithin A. This metabolite, synthesised by intestinal bacteria after ingesting foods rich in ellagitannins and ellagic acid, such as red fruits, is thought to help optimise cellular energy production by supporting mitochondrial recycling (mitophagy) (10). It has been the subject of numerous studies into skin ageing, joint degeneration and muscle recovery (made from pomegranate extract, Urolithin A has been tested to guarantee superior purity) (11-13).

Finally, it should be pointed out that to maintain a good overall intestinal balance, it is still particularly beneficial to turn to a multi-strain probiotic that will provide a wide range of 'friendly' bacteria (by combining 20 scientifically recognised strains, Full Spectrum Probiotic adapts remarkably effectively to the inter-individual variability of microbiota) (14).