Kombucha and Probiotics--Symbiotic Foods

Scientists have recently theorized that the necessary chemical and hormonal treatments for extending human lifespan, could be produced by "artificial cells" created to be implantable chemical/pharmaceutical factories. By programming the artificial cells to produce just the right bio-modifying agents at just the right time for a particular individual's needs--most people could avoid doctor's offices and hospitals for long periods of time. Particularly if biosensors that could be queried over wireless networks by the the person's physicians, were also implanted.

But that type of thing is at least a decade in the future. Why not take advantage of tiny chemical factories that are already available, and that could be more easily genetically modified? I am referring of course to "pro-biotics". The lactobacilli found in yoghurt, and similar bacteria prevalent in the mammalian gut, have been very helpful to humans over the decamillenia.

Kombucha is a particularly interesting form of probiotic tea.

The tea contains a symbiosis of yeast species and acetic acid bacteria, mostly Bacterium xylinum. Species of yeast found in the tea can vary, and may include: Brettanomyces bruxellensis, Candida stellata, Schizosaccharomyces pombe, Torulaspora delbrueckii and Zygosaccharomyces bailii. The culture itself looks somewhat like a large pancake, and is often mistakenly referred to as a mushroom.

Source.

I was recently introduced to Kombucha by a colleage. Go here for more interesting articles on kombucha.

Bacteria can be made to produce a lot of useful proteins and enzymes, fairly easily. The same is true for yeast. Many of our necessary vitamins are produced in our guts by bacteria. It is time we humans learned to teach our guests how to serve us even better. At this time, the horizons of symbiosis appear to reach a very long way.

Given that these gut bacteria live in the small intestine, beyond gastric acid and gastric proteolytic enzymes, it seems likely that administering peptides via probiotic organisms could be a useful alternative to parenteral administration.