The interest in a diverse human microbiome has grown over the past few decades, driven by research linking microbiome diversity to health outcomes. Studies of traditional populations, such as the Hadza hunter-gatherers of Tanzania, have provided valuable insights into how lifestyle and diet influence microbiome composition.
It’s likely that many factors apart from food influence diversity – light, season, latitude and even the fact that in indigenous populations hygiene is not observed as it is in the west (probably a good thing that they aren’t always consuming household cleaning products etc). Below are some studies showing the research into indigenous populations, but they might be flawed. For example, people who have lived with the Hadza have noted that they don’t eat as much fibre as is usually assumed. In fact, at times when the hunt fails and they are forced to eat more plant matter, they very often chew a tuber but actually spit out the fibre.
We have been told that fibre is essential for good gut health, but in truth, it’s just indigestible cellulose with few if any nutrients, none of which are bioavailable to humans, as we don’t have the necessary digestive system to break it down. In fact, recent research shows that fibre actually causes most of the problems it’s said to cure, leading to leaky gut and ensuing autoimmune conditions. The work of Paleomedicina in Hungary shows via gut permeability tests that the gut never truly heals if there’s any plant matter at all left in the diet. The book below, The Fiber Menace by Konstantin Monastyrsky, gives a totally different perspective on fibre…
https://www.amazon.com/Fiber-Menace-Constipation-Hemorrhoids-Ulcerative/dp/0970679645
We are also told that we need fibre to ward off constipation, but as the study below shows, stopping or reducing dietary fibre actually cures idiopathic constipation in almost everyone…
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3435786/
So, if we’ve been wrong about fibre in that area, what else do we have wrong about it? More on that later, but for now, here are the studies on indigenous populations and the possibly flawed conclusions…
Hadza Microbiome Studies
Research on the Hadza has revealed that their gut microbiome is notably more diverse than that of industrialized populations. This diversity is believed to result from their traditional diet, rich in fibrous plant foods and wild game, and their active lifestyle. A pivotal study published in Nature Communications in 2014 analyzed the gut microbiota of the Hadza, highlighting the absence of Bifidobacterium and an enrichment in genera like Prevotella and Treponema, which may enhance their ability to digest fibrous plant materials.
https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms4654
Further research observed seasonal variations in the Hadza's gut microbiome, correlating with their dietary shifts between wet and dry seasons. This study demonstrated that the Hadza's microbiome composition changes in response to their diet, suggesting a dynamic relationship between diet and microbiome diversity.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5891123
Broader Context
While studies like those on the Hadza have contributed significantly to our understanding, the emphasis on microbiome diversity predates this research. Earlier studies had already begun to establish connections between reduced microbiome diversity and various health issues, such as inflammatory bowel disease, obesity, and allergies. The Hadza studies have reinforced the idea that traditional diets and lifestyles, which promote a diverse microbiome, may offer protective health benefits.
Maasai Microbiome Diversity
Research comparing the gut microbiomes of various African populations, including the Maasai, indicates that the Maasai exhibit distinct microbial compositions. A study analyzing samples from seven African groups, such as the Hadza hunter-gatherers, Maasai cattle-herders, and Sandawe agropastoralists, found notable differences in their gut bacteria. The Hadza and Maasai were the only two populations with significantly distinct microbiomes between sexes. Additionally, the Hadza's gut bacteria were phylogenetically more homogeneous across their population compared to others in the study.
https://genomebiology.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13059-018-1616-9
Inuit Microbiome Diversity
Studies on the Inuit population's gut microbiome have produced intriguing findings. Despite their traditional diet being low in carbohydrates and rich in animal fats and proteins, the Inuit's gut microbiome diversity was found to be similar to that of individuals consuming Western diets. This contrasts with other traditional populations, like the Hadza, who typically exhibit higher microbial diversity. The similarities between the Inuit and Western microbiomes suggest that factors beyond diet, possibly including lifestyle and environmental influences, play roles in shaping microbiome diversity.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5214747
Comparative Insights
While the Hadza hunter-gatherers are known for their notably diverse gut microbiomes, the Maasai and Inuit present different patterns. The Maasai's gut microbiome shows distinct characteristics, including sex-based differences, but may not reach the same diversity levels as the Hadza. The Inuit's microbiome diversity aligns more closely with Western populations, potentially due to dietary composition and other lifestyle factors. These variations underscore the complex interplay between diet, lifestyle, and environmental factors in shaping gut microbiome diversity across different populations.
As we can see from the above, Dr. Shawn Baker was right when he once said that a healthy microbiome is one that a healthy person has, and that can vary widely. When people adopt a fully carnivore diet with zero fibre, sometimes the microbiome diversifies, but sometimes it simplifies… yet they all show incredible health benefits. This can be seen in the indigenous populations too. Healthy as the Hadza are compared to people on a standard western diet, they are not as healthy or strong as the Maasai who eat pretty much zero fibre. Plus, as it says above, the Inuit have a similar microbiome to people on a western diet, yet they have no chronic disease either.
Perhaps the mainstream has been focussing on the wrong thing when looking at gut health. Perhaps the real issue is leaky gut from fibre, plant toxins in what we are told are healthy veg, and from the liberal spraying of glyphosate on our food, which is essentially a broad-spectrum antibiotic, which will of course cause chaos in the microbiome.
The only thing we can say for sure is that the study of the human microbiome is a very young science, there are trillions of different bacteria in our guts, and anyone who says they understand the workings of them is not being entirely honest. It is very possible that there is no such thing as “good bacteria” and “bad bacteria”. All of them have their uses, and when not needed for a specific task, they decline in numbers. What if those “healthy bacteria” were just there to protect us against incorrect dietary choices and not essential at all if we just ate correctly?
How about just eating as close to our ancestral diet as we can, which has been 90-100% meat depending on latitude and season, and trust the body in its infinite wisdom to sort it all out?
