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Mark my words: There will be two new types of "banks" : youthful post puberty blood bank of 15-25yrs old and banks for same age group of fecal deposits. There

Mark my words: There will be two new types of "banks" : youthful post puberty blood bank of 15-25yrs old and banks for same age group of fecal deposits. There is nothing like a body at the peak of performance and function. Best case, you would be encouraged to save your own blood and fecal matter for your later years. Worse case, you'll have to buy both. Oh my goodness though... you can actually make $$ from selling your.... but I think it will happen. I believe this is just the beginning of how/what gut bacteria actually does for your body. Ever wonder why something like prozac causes constipation when all it's supposed to do is increase serotonin levels in your brain? Just a brain fart..thinking out loud.

jhanschoo 10y ago
From Wikipedia: Approximately 90% of the human body's total serotonin is located in the enterochromaffin cells in the GI tract, where it is used to regulate intestinal movements. My experience with SSRIs is that I feel a difference in my gut before a mood difference.
- Remington 10y ago
  Another reason why someone who has ulcerative colitis / crohn's could get some benefit by using a drug specifically to target brain function like SSRI type drugs. I think brain chemistry altering drug could assist in autoimmune type diseases.
louprado 10y ago
At the moment blood isn't cheap or easy to preserve. Then there is a matter of supply. Current research involving parabiosis in mice required a significant age difference and a continuous supply. Meaning you spend 15 - 25 trying to produce double the amount of blood just so you have what you need when you are 70 to 80. Transgenic xeno blood is a more likely solution if not synthetic blood or protein filtering. Regarding self fecal implants, the case where it could be most beneficial is in post antibiotic treatment. I recall seeing a a before/after graph of gut flora. Antibiotics had the effect of a nuclear bomb. Even years later, gut flora was still a fraction of what it had been.
- Remington 10y ago
  Hi louprado. yes, I understand about blood life but I'm thinking the bank "purchaseable" blood will be a busy cycle so no worry about needing to store long term. however, to my point about long term storage you're right for now. And as for the fecal "transplant", I think we are at an infancy in understanding. Our gut is so central to our very survival that I'm dumbfounded we haven't discovered this sooner. I think from food allergies to Ulcerative Colitis to your emotional state to maybe even cancer, any ailment of your entire body OR mind will have a direct link to gut bacteria. I'm sure of it. No doubt that it does sounds absurd to think that a group bacteria can dictate how well your body AND mind functions, but that's what I'm saying...
- NamTaf 10y ago
  This is true. A big course of broad-spectrum antibiotics creates an... unpleasant response. They really do nuke the biodiversity of the gut and it takes a while to strike a balance back. Here's a good wired feature done a few years ago on the topic: http://www.wired.com/2011/09/mf_microbiome/ http://www.wired.com/2011/09/mf_microbiome/
HillaryBriss 10y ago
According to Art Ayers, a lot of common medicines have antibiotic properties: Most pharmaceuticals are derived from phytochemicals, a.k.a antioxidants, adapted in plants to kill microorganisms, i.e. as natural antibiotics. It is not surprising that drugs = antibiotics. What is surprising is that people assume that if antibiotics are labeled with some other activity, that they cease to be antibiotics. All drugs are also antibiotics and that is why a major side effect of most medicines is upset gut bacteria. http://coolinginflammation.blogspot.com/2015/08/common-medicines-make-superbugs-not.html http://coolinginflammation.blogspot.com/2015/08/common-medic...

jhanschoo 10y ago

From Wikipedia: Approximately 90% of the human body's total serotonin is located in the enterochromaffin cells in the GI tract, where it is used to regulate intestinal movements. My experience with SSRIs is that I feel a difference in my gut before a mood difference.

Remington 10y ago
Another reason why someone who has ulcerative colitis / crohn's could get some benefit by using a drug specifically to target brain function like SSRI type drugs. I think brain chemistry altering drug could assist in autoimmune type diseases.

louprado 10y ago

At the moment blood isn't cheap or easy to preserve. Then there is a matter of supply. Current research involving parabiosis in mice required a significant age difference and a continuous supply. Meaning you spend 15 - 25 trying to produce double the amount of blood just so you have what you need when you are 70 to 80. Transgenic xeno blood is a more likely solution if not synthetic blood or protein filtering. Regarding self fecal implants, the case where it could be most beneficial is in post antibiotic treatment. I recall seeing a a before/after graph of gut flora. Antibiotics had the effect of a nuclear bomb. Even years later, gut flora was still a fraction of what it had been.

Remington 10y ago
Hi louprado. yes, I understand about blood life but I'm thinking the bank "purchaseable" blood will be a busy cycle so no worry about needing to store long term. however, to my point about long term storage you're right for now. And as for the fecal "transplant", I think we are at an infancy in understanding. Our gut is so central to our very survival that I'm dumbfounded we haven't discovered this sooner. I think from food allergies to Ulcerative Colitis to your emotional state to maybe even cancer, any ailment of your entire body OR mind will have a direct link to gut bacteria. I'm sure of it. No doubt that it does sounds absurd to think that a group bacteria can dictate how well your body AND mind functions, but that's what I'm saying...
NamTaf 10y ago
This is true. A big course of broad-spectrum antibiotics creates an... unpleasant response. They really do nuke the biodiversity of the gut and it takes a while to strike a balance back. Here's a good wired feature done a few years ago on the topic: http://www.wired.com/2011/09/mf_microbiome/ http://www.wired.com/2011/09/mf_microbiome/

HillaryBriss 10y ago

According to Art Ayers, a lot of common medicines have antibiotic properties: Most pharmaceuticals are derived from phytochemicals, a.k.a antioxidants, adapted in plants to kill microorganisms, i.e. as natural antibiotics. It is not surprising that drugs = antibiotics. What is surprising is that people assume that if antibiotics are labeled with some other activity, that they cease to be antibiotics. All drugs are also antibiotics and that is why a major side effect of most medicines is upset gut bacteria. http://coolinginflammation.blogspot.com/2015/08/common-medicines-make-superbugs-not.html http://coolinginflammation.blogspot.com/2015/08/common-medic...