A joint UK and American Study published in the journal, Nature has indicated that living in sterile environments can increase the risk of developing type 1 diabetes.
The study used genetically modified mice to demonstrate that living in sterile environments can stop the absorption of ‘friendly’ gut bacteria, which helps to prevent the development of type 1 diabetes.
They found that 80 percent of the mice they raised in a completely germ-free environment, and therefore lacking ‘friendly’ gut bacteria, developed diabetes.
Professor Susan Wong from Bristol University worked with scientists from Washington University in the US, The Jackson Laboratory and UCL, London, and says, ‘Understanding the relationship between our gut ‘flora’ and our immune system is extremely important and the objective now is to identify which friendly bacteria are having this effect and how they stop the development of type 1 diabetes’.
Scientists have suggested that if this ‘friendly’ bacteria can be replicated, using a drug, food supplement or some type of pro-biotic food or drink, maybe they can avert the onset of the condition in the future.