Final answer:
Your microbiome can be altered by various factors such as antibiotic use, diet, lifestyle, and significant life events, such as birth delivery method. The microbiome provides essential health benefits, and its composition is influenced by internal physiological changes and environmental interactions. Ongoing research into the microbiome may enhance disease fighting strategies.
Step-by-step explanation:
Your microbiome can be altered in various ways throughout your life. During pregnancy, there is in-utero microbial exposure and after birth, the newborn's gut is rapidly colonized by microbes from various sources, including the mother and environment. The introduction of the microbiome is strongly influenced by delivery mode and feeding regime, with breastfeeding or formula feeding playing a crucial role. By age 2 to 3, the microbiome stabilizes but can still undergo changes due to diet, lifestyle, age, and the host's overall health.
Antibiotic use is a well-known factor that disrupts normal microbiota, which can lead to increased susceptibility to infections and certain diseases. Likewise, dietary changes can significantly impact the microbiota composition of the digestive system, affecting overall health. The microbiome also provides various health benefits, producing essential compounds such as vitamins and antioxidants, and it plays a critical role in protecting against pathogenic microorganisms.
Furthermore, hygiene habits can alter both the resident and transient microbiota, and significant life events, like how a baby is born, can have lasting impacts on an individual's microbiome. In essence, the microbiota at each body site can vary and change over time within the same individual, influenced by environmental interactions and internal physiological changes. Understanding one's microbiome may reveal new strategies to combat diseases and maintain better overall health.