Soil is a key factor influencing gut microbiota

Exposure to an unsanitary environment increases the diversity and alters the composition of the gut microbiota. To identify the key element in the unsanitary environment responsible for this phenomenon, we investigated the effect and the extent by which the soil in our environment influenced the composition of gut microbiota of mice. Results show that adding unsterile or sterile soil to bedding, either before birth or after weaning, influences significantly the composition of mice gut microbiota.