4 ms·

So is there a virus out there that will do the opposite? Or maybe some gene modifications that could be made?

by kilroy123 10y ago

overgard 10y ago
Well you could always get a tapeworm parasite, though I doubt that would be sound medical advice ;)
- TheSpiceIsLife 10y ago
  Reminds me of this guy[1] who claims to have cured his own Ulcerative Colitis with roundworms. 1. http://edition.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/12/09/worms.health/ http://edition.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/12/09/worms.health/
aperrien 10y ago
I'm more curious as to what the goal of increasing fat mass would be for the virus. You'd think that it has to be part of its reproductive cycle somehow. Are the viruses hiding out inside of fat cells?
- deleted 10y ago
  [deleted]
- DrScump 10y ago
  That doesn't have to be a specific goal; it could be just a side-effect. Viruses "goal", in general, is to make more copies of itself. One possibility is that a host that gains weight easily will be more resilient in times of famine.
DanBC 10y ago
Maybe, here's one (with a few human subject): http://www.nature.com/tp/journal/v4/n10/full/tp201498a.html http://www.nature.com/tp/journal/v4/n10/full/tp201498a.html Here's another (in mice, not sure if they've tried people yet): http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-22458428 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-22458428 The best thing people can do to change their gut flora is to cut back on sugar and increase dietary fibre.
- KirinDave 10y ago
  Gut flora engineering is in fact a prominent line of research many groups are studying. The idea of tailoring the gut flora to reduce sugar uptakes is a very compelling one. But it's also raising hard questions about why we think it's okay to sell so much sugar in foods...
- DrScump 10y ago
  The best thing people can do to change their gut flora Diet change can, at best, improve the ratios of beneficial vs harmful microbes, but it can't introduce missing microbes that aren't there at all... hence the fecal transplant.

So is there a virus out there that will do the opposite? Or maybe some gene modifications that could be made?

overgard 10y ago

Well you could always get a tapeworm parasite, though I doubt that would be sound medical advice ;)

TheSpiceIsLife 10y ago
Reminds me of this guy[1] who claims to have cured his own Ulcerative Colitis with roundworms. 1. http://edition.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/12/09/worms.health/ http://edition.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/12/09/worms.health/

aperrien 10y ago

I'm more curious as to what the goal of increasing fat mass would be for the virus. You'd think that it has to be part of its reproductive cycle somehow. Are the viruses hiding out inside of fat cells?

deleted 10y ago
[deleted]
DrScump 10y ago
That doesn't have to be a specific goal; it could be just a side-effect. Viruses "goal", in general, is to make more copies of itself. One possibility is that a host that gains weight easily will be more resilient in times of famine.

DanBC 10y ago

Maybe, here's one (with a few human subject): http://www.nature.com/tp/journal/v4/n10/full/tp201498a.html http://www.nature.com/tp/journal/v4/n10/full/tp201498a.html Here's another (in mice, not sure if they've tried people yet): http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-22458428 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-22458428 The best thing people can do to change their gut flora is to cut back on sugar and increase dietary fibre.

KirinDave 10y ago
Gut flora engineering is in fact a prominent line of research many groups are studying. The idea of tailoring the gut flora to reduce sugar uptakes is a very compelling one. But it's also raising hard questions about why we think it's okay to sell so much sugar in foods...
DrScump 10y ago
The best thing people can do to change their gut flora Diet change can, at best, improve the ratios of beneficial vs harmful microbes, but it can't introduce missing microbes that aren't there at all... hence the fecal transplant.