Adults who were formula-fed as babies have a less diverse microbiome

Recent research from a researcher at the University of Oxford finds that specific personality traits could be linked with the diversity of a person’s microbiome.

And one of the most interesting findings (at least to me) is that individuals who were formula-fed as infants were found to have decreased diversity in their gut microbiome.

Fascinating research on the microbiome-gut-brain axis, but with implications for the mental health of adults who were formula-fed as children.

Recent research finds that specific personality traits could be linked with the diversity of a person’s microbiome.

The research by Dr Katerina Johnson of Oxford University’s Department of Experimental Psychology was published in the Human Microbiome Journal (2020).

Here are the key findings:

• The higher the diversity of the gut microbiome
• = more social personalities with larger social networks
• The lower the diversity of the gut microbiome
• = linked to anxiety and stress with smaller social networks

The study shows that international travel and diet had a significant effect on gut diversity.