Reddit Reddit reviews Missing Microbes: How the Overuse of Antibiotics Is Fueling Our Modern Plagues

We found 2 Reddit comments about Missing Microbes: How the Overuse of Antibiotics Is Fueling Our Modern Plagues. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.

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Missing Microbes: How the Overuse of Antibiotics Is Fueling Our Modern Plagues
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2 Reddit comments about Missing Microbes: How the Overuse of Antibiotics Is Fueling Our Modern Plagues:

u/duddles · 8 pointsr/audiobooks

Missing Microbes by Martin Blaser, narrated by Patrick Lawlor.

I've been getting interested in the gut microbiota after taking Rob Knight's coursera course and this was a recommended book from the course. Blaser presents an interesting theory about how antibiotic overuse has led to a host of what he calls 'modern plagues' like asthma, obesity, GI disorders, etc. I am a little wary that he is overselling the role our microbes play in these diseases, but I find a lot of his arguments persuasive. He also argues that H Pylori which is often seen as a pathogen that should be eradicated actually has protective benefits to humans - which I gather is a controversial opinion in the medical community.

The narrator is ... not so good. I'll admit it's a tough job to read a book with a lot of scientific terms, but his cadence is too repetitive. I've also noticed a few weird pronunciations and mistakes (additive was read as addictive). But it's still listenable.

u/archover · 2 pointsr/audiobooks

I try to read some non-fiction to balance out my diet of sci-fi so I discovered

Missing Microbes by Martin J. Blaser. 8 hrs 43 min on audible. Published 2014. Great narration by Patrick Lawlor.

Ever wondered why diseases like obesity, asthma, diabetes, and certain forms of cancer, once largely unknown, have become modern day plagues? Hint: Antibiotics.

The author, an MD, relates his research into our body's unappreciated organ, the microbiome, and its role in the rise of disease. Much like the biome we see in a coral reef or rain forest, our bodies are home to an ancient collection of bateria, fungi, and viruses that serve important, and mostly beneficial and critical roles in maintaining good health. A biome that largely evolved with us is now being devastated by antibiotics and other medical practices.

This book is a fascinating overview of the body and food as it is about bacteria. Even if you think medical stuff is boring, you should give this book a try! If not only to understand the danger of antibiotics.

This is one of those books where I have bought the hard copy because I want to go back to underline and take notes.