Advanced Biohacking: Eliminating Psychiatric Symptoms With Microbiome – HPP 31

Christopher Lowry, Ph.D.

Dr. Chris Lowry explores his cutting-edge research on the interplay between the diversity of microbiome in the gut, and mental and physical health. He is currently researching an injectable form of M. vaccae, which can act as an inflammatory reducing agent in the body, in turn, reducing symptoms in conditions such as PTSD. He points out how living in overly-sterilized nations reduces our exposure to “old friends” and what this means for the future of our health.

Due to a decrease in exposure to a diversity of microbiome found in soil, plants and animals, people’s overall physical and mental health are compromised. Often, medicine addresses illness in a reactive manner without treating the underlying condition. Psychiatric symptoms are no different. One place that is often overlooked is the gut and its interplay with the mind. Dr. Lowry is going to explore this interplay, as well as offer some tips on how to address this issue in a simple manner.

Show Notes:

M. Vaccae discovery in treating diseases [14:25]

Injecting M.Vaccae to suppress stress-related outcomes related to psychiatric disorders [16:30]

Alpha diversity in the microbiome of the gut and the health of an individual [30:00]

What factors increase diversity of the microbiome in the gut [32:00]

How sterilization of our environment can lead to mental health and physical illness [43:00]

Injecting bacteria to treat depression, anxiety and PTSD [46:00]

Christopher Lowry, Ph.D.

Christopher A. Lowry, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Integrative Physiology and Center for Neuroscience at the University of Colorado Boulder, with a secondary appointment in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) and Center for Neuroscience at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus (AMC), a Principal Investigator in the Department of Veterans Affairs Eastern Colorado Health Care System, VA Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research, Education, & Clinical Center (MIRECC), and director of the Behavioral Neuroendocrinology Laboratory at CU Boulder. He is Co-Director, with Dr. Lisa Brenner, of the Military and Veteran Microbiome Consortium for Research and Education (MVM-CoRE). Dr. Lowry’s research program focuses on understanding stress-related physiology and behavior with an emphasis on the role of the microbiome-gut-brain axis in stress resilience, health and disease.