Holy poop! Mental health and the gut (part 1 with Holobiome)
Sep 14, 2023
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Dr. Phil Strandwitz, Founder of Holobiome, discusses the gut-brain connection and pioneering microbial therapies. Trillions of gut bacteria influence neurotransmitter activity, mood, and cognition. Imbalances in the microbiome may underlie mental health issues. Startups like Holobiome aim to develop microbiome-based treatments including fecal transplants. Lifestyle changes like diet, prebiotics, and probiotics can support gut health. This conversation will change how you think about the gut-brain connection.
The gut microbiome has a significant impact on mental health and can influence neurotransmitters, mood, and cognition.
Targeting the gut microbiome with live bacteria as a therapeutic intervention shows promise for treating conditions like depression.
Deep dives
The Importance of the Gut Microbiome and its Influence on Mental Health
This podcast episode delves into the significance of the gut microbiome and its impact on mental health and wellness. The gut microbiome refers to the community of bacteria, viruses, archaea, and fungi that live in our bodies, particularly in the gut. These microorganisms have a crucial role in producing neurotransmitters and influencing bodily functions like mood and pain. The episode highlights the emergence of a new wave of entrepreneurs focused on developing therapeutics that target the gut microbiome to treat various conditions, including depression. Dr. Phil Stranowitz, the founder and CEO of Holobium, shares insights on the science of the gut microbiome, its interaction with the brain, and its potential applications in mental health. The discussion covers microbial therapeutics, the business aspect of this field, and various strategies to modulate the gut microbiome, including food, prebiotics, probiotics, and fecal transplants.
The Complexity and Potential of the Gut-Brain Connection
The gut-brain connection is a critical aspect explored in this podcast episode. It recognizes that the gut microbiome, which comprises trillions of microorganisms, plays a role in influencing brain function and mental health. The discussion emphasizes the intricate interactions between the gut microbiome, the immune system, and the nervous system. It highlights how microbial activities, production of neuroactive compounds, and direct signaling from gut cells to the brain can affect behavior, stress, depression, and neuroinflammation. The potential of targeting the gut microbiome using live bacteria as a therapeutic intervention is examined, focusing on depression as an example. The episode also recognizes the complexity of understanding this connection and the need for further research and clinical studies.
Hollow Biome's Approach to Developing Microbial Therapeutics
This podcast episode introduces Hollow Biome, a Boston-based platform microbiome company focused on mapping the influence of human gut bacteria on human disease. Hollow Biome's approach involves isolating and studying diverse human gut microbes to understand their impact on specific targets associated with various diseases. The episode highlights the company's constipation program, where specific microbes are identified for their potential to influence neurotransmitter-based pathways and alleviate constipation. It also delves into Hollow Biome's depression program, which focuses on a single strain of bacteria with unique anti-inflammatory properties and the ability to target neurotransmitter pathways relevant to depression. The discussion touches on the challenges and promises of developing microbial therapeutics and the importance of partnerships with food and consumer product companies to advance the field.
The Future and Risks of Microbial Therapies
The podcast episode concludes by exploring the potential of microbial therapies and the risks associated with these treatments. It acknowledges the novelty and complexity of developing live bacteria as therapeutics and the limited number of approved microbial therapeutics in the market. The discussion highlights the need for a new playbook in microbiome drug development and the importance of partnerships with companies in the food and consumer product space to derisk and advance the field. The episode emphasizes the potential of microbial therapies in addressing a range of indications, such as pain, longevity, and healthy aging. It also underscores the safety of microbial interventions, given that they involve naturally occurring bacteria from healthy individuals. The risks primarily lie in the efficacy of the treatments and the challenges of pre-screening patients effectively.
Business Trip launched in 2020 as a podcast focused on psychedelics. As Matias and Greg started to dive deeper into the complexities of mental health, they met more and more entrepreneurs and scientists creating novel treatments across many areas of mental health, including the gut microbiome.
Dr. Phil Strandwitz pulls back the curtain on the gut-brain connection and the future of mental health. As founder of Holobiome, Phil is pioneering microbial therapies for conditions like depression and epilepsy.
In part 1 of a 2-part series, we dive deep on how trillions of gut bacteria influence neurotransmitters, mood, cognition, and more. An imbalance in your microbiome could underlie mental health issues. Can fecal (poop) transplants treat depression?
Phil shares how startups like Holobiome aim to develop microbiome-based treatments. We'll also explore lifestyle changes like diet, prebiotics, and probiotics to support gut health.
Part frontier medicine, part taboo, this conversation will change how you think about the gut-brain connection.