Episode
Dr. Justin Sonnenburg: How to Build, Maintain & Repair Gut Health
2:12:58
Published: Mon Mar 07 2022
Description
My guest this episode is Dr. Justin Sonnenburg, Professor of Microbiology & Immunology at Stanford University. Dr. Sonnenburg’s research focuses on how microbes in our gut impact our mental and physical health and how diet and your environment shape your gut microbiome. We discuss the architecture of the gut microbiome and microbiota variability in different regions of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and how these can change in response to diet, environment or genetics. We explore the early establishment of your microbiome and how your mode of delivery into the world (C-section or not) shapes your gut. We also discuss lifestyle factors that can alter your microbiome and the integral role the gut microbiome plays in communicating to other organs, including your brain. Dr. Sonnenburg details his recent clinical study, which found that diets rich in fermented foods (but not fiber) increase microbiota diversity and reduce signals of inflammation. Additionally, we examine how foods typical in Western Diets (e.g., high fat, low fiber, processed foods) can negatively impact the gut microbiome. Throughout the episode, we discuss actionable tools from peer-reviewed clinical findings that anyone can implement, regardless of budget, in order to optimize their gut microbiome and health. For the full show notes, visit hubermanlab.com. Thank you to our sponsors AG1 (Athletic Greens): https://athleticgreens.com/huberman LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/huberman Thesis: https://takethesis.com/huberman Supplements from Momentous https://www.livemomentous.com/huberman Timestamps (00:00:00) Dr. Justin Sonnenburg, Gut Microbiome (00:03:11) Sponsors: AG1, LMNT, Thesis, Momentous (00:08:30) What is the Gut Microbiome? (00:12:49) Gastrointestinal (GI) Tract & Microbiota Variability (00:16:00) Breast Feeding, C-Sections & Pets (00:21:56) The Human Microbiome Project at Stanford (00:26:30) Traditional vs. Industrialized Populations (00:28:58) Resilience of the Microbiome (00:35:10) Regional Differences Along Your GI Tract (00:42:04) Fasting, Cleanses & Gut Health (00:51:19) Dietary Differences (01:01:24) Simple vs. Complex Carbohydrates, Processed Foods (01:07:03) Artificial & Plant-based Sweeteners (01:12:44) Cleanses: Useful? Harmful? (01:14:50) Your Microbiome & Your Immune System (01:20:17) Dietary Fiber & Fermented Foods (01:32:13) High-Fiber vs. High-Fermented Diet; Inflammation (01:41:33) Ripple Effects of a Healthy Diet (01:45:00) Does a High-Fiber Diet Make Inflammation Worse? (01:47:22) Over Sterilized Environments (01:50:15) The Gut Microbiome’s Effect on Physiology (01:56:45) Gut-Brain Connection (01:59:30) Probiotics: Benefits & Risks (02:04:20) Prebiotics: Essential? (02:07:00) Tools for Enhancing Your Gut Microbiota (02:11:12) Dr. Sonnenburg’s Research, Zero-Cost Support, YouTube, Spotify, Apple Reviews, Sponsors, Supplements, Instagram, Twitter, Neural Network Newsletter Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac Disclaimer
Chapters
Dr. Ruscio discusses the vital role of crypts and niches in supporting our health through the microbiota in our digestive tract, and shares tips on how to optimize our microbiome to improve overall health and well-being.
00:00 - 04:26 (04:26)
Summary
Dr. Ruscio discusses the vital role of crypts and niches in supporting our health through the microbiota in our digestive tract, and shares tips on how to optimize our microbiome to improve overall health and well-being.
EpisodeDr. Justin Sonnenburg: How to Build, Maintain & Repair Gut Health
PodcastHuberman Lab
InsideTracker provides personalized health care plans and services, while Blood Tracker is a nutrition platform that uses blood and DNA analysis to help clients achieve their health goals.
04:26 - 13:13 (08:47)
Summary
InsideTracker provides personalized health care plans and services, while Blood Tracker is a nutrition platform that uses blood and DNA analysis to help clients achieve their health goals. Understanding the complex ecosystem of hundreds to thousands of microbes in the gut is crucial for achieving optimal health.
EpisodeDr. Justin Sonnenburg: How to Build, Maintain & Repair Gut Health
PodcastHuberman Lab
The developmental process of a human's microbial identity can be affected by several factors, such as whether they were breastfed, exposed to antibiotics, or even the presence of a family pet.
13:13 - 21:49 (08:35)
Summary
The developmental process of a human's microbial identity can be affected by several factors, such as whether they were breastfed, exposed to antibiotics, or even the presence of a family pet. Infants born through natural childbirth have different initial microbiota compared to those born through C-section, potentially affecting their immune system, metabolism and other parts of their biology in different developmental trajectories.
EpisodeDr. Justin Sonnenburg: How to Build, Maintain & Repair Gut Health
PodcastHuberman Lab
The gut microbiome can be affected by a variety of factors such as antibiotic use, industrialized diet, and Western lifestyle leading to individuality in the gut microbiome that can be detrimental to health.
21:49 - 31:09 (09:20)
Summary
The gut microbiome can be affected by a variety of factors such as antibiotic use, industrialized diet, and Western lifestyle leading to individuality in the gut microbiome that can be detrimental to health.
EpisodeDr. Justin Sonnenburg: How to Build, Maintain & Repair Gut Health
PodcastHuberman Lab
This podcast discusses an experiment conducted on mice where they were fed a normal and healthy diet and then switched to a low-fiber, high-fat diet to observe the effects on their gut microbiota.
31:09 - 38:16 (07:07)
Summary
This podcast discusses an experiment conducted on mice where they were fed a normal and healthy diet and then switched to a low-fiber, high-fat diet to observe the effects on their gut microbiota. The study showed that the mice were negatively affected, but there was a possibility of a return to the previously healthy state with a balanced diet.
EpisodeDr. Justin Sonnenburg: How to Build, Maintain & Repair Gut Health
PodcastHuberman Lab
The Mediterranean and plant-based diets have been proven to be very beneficial, while fasting and other therapies such as the ketogenic dieting can provide tremendous benefits for people battling eating a continuous bad diet or with metabolic syndrome, yet it is hard to define if they are good or bad.
38:16 - 48:41 (10:25)
Summary
The Mediterranean and plant-based diets have been proven to be very beneficial, while fasting and other therapies such as the ketogenic dieting can provide tremendous benefits for people battling eating a continuous bad diet or with metabolic syndrome, yet it is hard to define if they are good or bad.
EpisodeDr. Justin Sonnenburg: How to Build, Maintain & Repair Gut Health
PodcastHuberman Lab
The gut microbiome can adapt to cultural differences in diet and genes play a role in determining which diets are best for different groups.
48:41 - 58:09 (09:27)
Summary
The gut microbiome can adapt to cultural differences in diet and genes play a role in determining which diets are best for different groups. Microbiota-accessible carbohydrates are an important aspect of complex carbohydrates and dietary fiber for maintaining a healthy gut.
EpisodeDr. Justin Sonnenburg: How to Build, Maintain & Repair Gut Health
PodcastHuberman Lab
A whole plant-based diet with high fiber content can provide numerous health benefits, while processed foods with artificial sweeteners and refined nutrients may be harmful.
58:09 - 1:10:17 (12:07)
Summary
A whole plant-based diet with high fiber content can provide numerous health benefits, while processed foods with artificial sweeteners and refined nutrients may be harmful. While not appropriate for everyone, the vast majority of people could benefit from incorporating more whole plant-based foods into their diet.
EpisodeDr. Justin Sonnenburg: How to Build, Maintain & Repair Gut Health
PodcastHuberman Lab
The podcast discusses the benefits of eating fiber and fermented foods for a healthy microbiome, referencing a study that compared the inflammatory markers of people who consumed these foods.
1:10:17 - 1:15:49 (05:32)
Summary
The podcast discusses the benefits of eating fiber and fermented foods for a healthy microbiome, referencing a study that compared the inflammatory markers of people who consumed these foods. The hosts also caution against wiping out the microbial community without proper information and highlight the importance of a balanced diet for a healthy microbiome.
EpisodeDr. Justin Sonnenburg: How to Build, Maintain & Repair Gut Health
PodcastHuberman Lab
This podcast explores how the immunology profiling capability of monitoring the immune system and the microbiome can help in defining what a healthy microbiome is by learning the rules of reconfiguring its composition and function through diet.
1:15:49 - 1:23:23 (07:34)
Summary
This podcast explores how the immunology profiling capability of monitoring the immune system and the microbiome can help in defining what a healthy microbiome is by learning the rules of reconfiguring its composition and function through diet. The paradigm of simply waiting for diseases to appear and come into the clinic is not effective in inflammatory and Western diseases, autoimmune diseases, metabolic syndromes, heart diseases, and inflammatory diseases.
EpisodeDr. Justin Sonnenburg: How to Build, Maintain & Repair Gut Health
PodcastHuberman Lab
A high fermented food diet may offer benefits due to the microbial communities found in naturally fermented food.
1:23:23 - 1:30:08 (06:45)
Summary
A high fermented food diet may offer benefits due to the microbial communities found in naturally fermented food. However, it is important to choose naturally fermented foods without added sugar.
EpisodeDr. Justin Sonnenburg: How to Build, Maintain & Repair Gut Health
PodcastHuberman Lab
A study on mice's mucosal immune system showed that even though high fiber diets lead to a healthier microbiota and positive changes in the immune system, there were individualized responses to dietary fiber and not the expected results.
1:30:08 - 1:39:31 (09:22)
Summary
A study on mice's mucosal immune system showed that even though high fiber diets lead to a healthier microbiota and positive changes in the immune system, there were individualized responses to dietary fiber and not the expected results.
EpisodeDr. Justin Sonnenburg: How to Build, Maintain & Repair Gut Health
PodcastHuberman Lab
The study found no significant association between microbiome interventions and cognition or mood.
1:39:31 - 1:45:14 (05:42)
Summary
The study found no significant association between microbiome interventions and cognition or mood. However, participants reported improvements in bowel movements, and outside the study, individuals have reported improvements in energy levels, mental clarity, and family relationships.
EpisodeDr. Justin Sonnenburg: How to Build, Maintain & Repair Gut Health
PodcastHuberman Lab
Exposure to microbes from the environment plays an important role in educating our immune system, and the sanitization of our environment has gone overboard with the use of antibiotics.
1:45:14 - 1:55:18 (10:04)
Summary
Exposure to microbes from the environment plays an important role in educating our immune system, and the sanitization of our environment has gone overboard with the use of antibiotics. The fermented food result may provide a safe way of tapping into these same pathways.
EpisodeDr. Justin Sonnenburg: How to Build, Maintain & Repair Gut Health
PodcastHuberman Lab
Research suggests that neurotransmitters manufactured in the gut regulate mood and other bodily processes through the gut-brain axis.
1:55:18 - 2:07:54 (12:36)
Summary
Research suggests that neurotransmitters manufactured in the gut regulate mood and other bodily processes through the gut-brain axis. However, many probiotic supplements are unregulated, and consumers should be cautious in their use.
EpisodeDr. Justin Sonnenburg: How to Build, Maintain & Repair Gut Health
PodcastHuberman Lab
Researchers studying the gut microbiome have noticed that many people, including scientists, are not informed about the practices that could improve gut health.
2:07:54 - 2:12:42 (04:47)
Summary
Researchers studying the gut microbiome have noticed that many people, including scientists, are not informed about the practices that could improve gut health. The lack of information dissemination highlights the need for wider public education.