I am studying tiny living creatures called bacteria. Bacteria live all around us, in the dirt, on surfaces, and in/on our bodies!. While many bacteria are harmful to us and can make us very sick, there are many that are very important to keeping us healthy. One of the places that healthy bacteria live is inside our intestines. The intestines are part of our digestive system, and they help break down the food we eat. Inside our gut, there are trillions of bacteria. In a healthy adult, anywhere from 2-6 pounds of their body weight comes from these bacteria! This huge community of bacteria is called the gut microbiome. Many bacteria in our gut are necessary to us by helping to digest food, make vitamins for our bodies, and even train our immune system. These helpful bacteria are called commensal bacteria, which means they live with us and help us without causing harm (this is referred to as a symbiotic relationship).
One important group of bacteria in the gut is called Bacteroides. Bacteroides are obligate anaerobes, which essentially means that they cannot survive in environments where oxygen is present! Many types of Bacteroides are helpful and are a normal part of a healthy microbiome.
