WSJ: The Body as Bacterial Landlord

In the Wall Street Journal yesterday: The Body as Bacterial Landlord

"...antibiotics and other sanitation measures are eliminating the harm these bacteria cause at the expense of the protection they provide us...."

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122297443409199201.html?mod=djemHL

Some studies suggest that H. pylori eradication may also be contributing to obesity. The hormone ghrelin is produced in cells lining the stomach and stimulates appetite. Normally ghrelin levels increase before meals and decrease after. Some studies have found low ghrelin levels in subjects that have H. pylori. After eradicating H. pylori, ghrelin levels increase and this may cause an increase in appetite and weight gain.

http://www.zuidencomm.nl/njm/getpdf.php?id=438

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1773634

Tara