Microbiome's life starts during birth and needs to be nurtured, Jens Walter

Over the last couple of decades, studies have shown that disruption of early life microbiome may be linked with disease conditions including allergy, asthma, inflammatory bowel disease, obesity, and diabetes. Current research reaffirms the significance of vertical transmission of intestinal microbes from the mother, supporting the theory that timing of bacterial colonization is crucial to the development of the broader microbial community from the moment an infant is born. This is why different strategies to support early life microbiome assembly, including vaginal seeding, fecal microbiota transplantation, and use of probiotics, show good potential in reducing the risk of acquiring chronic diseases. However, further studies are needed to identify which procedure is both safe and effective.