What specific bugs—bacteria, viruses, and fungi—in what precise amounts might you find in normal healthy human stool?
It’s an odd question, but important because it’s one of the few clues we have as to what is happening inside the gut microbiome. This microbial community plays several essential roles, from helping to create hormones to supplying the key components of our immune system. Unfortunately, it’s also notoriously difficult to study. One of the few glimpses we can get into its inner workings is by what comes out of us.