View article

Undoubtedly, modern humankind is an omnivorous species. Nevertheless, types of diet changed radically over the course of human evolution, from hunter–gatherers, through the birth of agriculture and culminating with the modern Western-style diet. The Upper Paleolithic period is the crucial time because of the appearance of anatomically modern humans in Europe.

The human gut “metagenome” is a complex consortium of trillions of microbes, whose collective genomes contain at least 100-times as many genes as our own eukaryote genome. This essential “organ” provides the host with enhanced metabolic capabilities, protection against pathogens, education of the immune system and modulation of gastrointestinal development.

Historically, the microbial ecosystem of the gastrointestinal tract was specific for an environmental niche, as much as the flora and fauna of an ecosystem are geographically distinct. A …