Gut Microbes as Frenemies with Dr Joe Alcock

*The information in this podcast is intended for Healthcare Practitioners.

Dr Joe Alcock is not your typical MD. Joe’s day (or night) job is as a practicing emergency Physician and a Professor in the University of New Mexico Department of Emergency Medicine. However, Joe also has a deep interest in both evolutionary medicine and microbiome science and has the unique skill of integrating and translating these disciplines into practical outcomes.

In this episode, Dr Alcock explains how, since time immemorial, our gut microbes have had a love/hate relationship with us, and how this concept of ‘conflict and co-operation’ can explain the trials and tribulations of research on microbiome composition in disease states, probiotic successes and failures and a new approach to feeding ourselves and our resident microbiome. Tune in for a fun and insightful tour of the microbiome as Joe discusses conditions such as gut health, insulin resistance and mood disorders.

Links and resources

Dr Alcock’s website: http://evolutionmedicine.com
Dr Alcock’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/joealcockmd?lang=en
Wasielewski H, Alcock J, Aktipis A. Resource conflict and cooperation between human host and gut microbiota: implications for nutrition and health. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2016 May;1372(1):20-8. doi: 10.1111/nyas.13118.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27270755/
Alcock J, Lin HC. Fatty acids from diet and microbiota regulate energy metabolism. F1000Res. 2015 Sep 9;4(F1000 Faculty Rev):738. doi: 10.12688/f1000research.6078.1.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27006755/