Intestinal microbiota in health and disease
The intestinal microbiota is associated closely with health and disease. This Insight explores human developmental biology from a microbial perspective; the influence of diet and the microbiota on metabolism; the microbiota and innate immunity; the microbiota and adaptive immunity; how the microbiota and pathogenic bacteria interact in the gut; and the promise of microbiome-wide association studies for precision medicine.
We are grateful for the support of our sponsor Yakult Honsha Co., Ltd. As always, Nature carries sole responsibility for all editorial content.
For several decades, Yakult has maintained its commitment to improving human health by researching lactobacilli and through the development of its food, cosmetics and pharmaceutical businesses. Today, the company’s responsibilities extend beyond basic health to embrace global social and environmental challenges.
Yakult’s Central Institute works to understand the relationship between human health and gut microbiota, focusing on basic research into the structures and functions of microbiota. ‘YIF-SCAN’ (Yakult Intestinal Flora Scan) is Yakult’s state-of-the-art system that analyses gut microbiota by selectively quantifying bacteria based on unique individual gene sequences. Synbiotic treatments (that is, supplements that combine probiotics and prebiotics) have been shown to benefit the recovery of immune functions, prevent septic complications, promote absorption of nutrients and digestion, improve nutritional status and enhance human health by helping to balance microbiota in the human gut.
Yakult’s network extends through Asia, Oceania, the Americas and Europe and its products are sold through 27 overseas operations and consumed in 33 countries. As of 2015, daily global consumption of Yakult dairy products numbered more than 30 million. Yakult continues to strive to deepen its understanding of lactobacilli and support good health for all.
