A Yale University study reveals that friendships influence gut microbiota composition, as friends develop similar microorganisms despite not living together. This study, conducted over ten years in the remote jungles of Honduras, analyzed samples from 1,787 adults and found significant microbiome similarity based on social interactions. The research highlights that an individual's microbiome is not only shaped by direct friendships but also by indirect associations—friends of friends. This emphasizes the complexity of human relationships and their effects on our health, underscoring the microbiome's role as a vital organ that interacts with social environments.
Mencius, the ancient Chinese philosopher, wrote centuries ago that friendship is one mind in two bodies. Modern science might add another layer: friendship is also one microbiota in two bodies.
The more people interact, the more similar the composition of the microorganisms in their guts becomes, influenced by their closest social contacts and their friends' connections.
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