
British Gut Project - tokenadult
http://www.britishgut.org/
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rottyguy
Hearing a lot about gut bacteria these days influencing everything from weight
loss to allergies. Can anyone with knowledge verify any of these claims or is
it, yet, another passing fancy?

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tokenadult
The study linked here is one step in trying to find out how many of those
claims are credible. What I found interesting about this link, which I heard
about from a medical genetics researcher, is that the British Gut Study is
connected to the Twins Early Development Study (TEDS), which has been going on
for twenty years, so it will include some data that are from a genetically
sensitive study design. That makes it easier (but not completely easy) to
tease out environmental influences on gut microbes from individual genetic
influences on gut microbes. The study also includes some data on the twins'
health and some other variables of interest. The TEDS research program and all
of its study subjects are based in Britain, but the study design is of such
interest around the world that the United States federal government helps fund
it.

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Graham24
I heard about this on the Today programme this morning, the presenter was
taking great delight in repeating the name "The British Gut Project".

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illumen
I bet :)

Try it in a Sean Connery voice... "The British Gut Project"

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andy_ppp
By sample do they mean I get to send someone my poo for £75 and they will tell
me what microbes they found in it?

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bduerst
You could probably just go to a nearby clinical lab and order a stool culture.

Without a diagnosis though (for insurance) I fear what the actual cost would
be.

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imdsm
Now I just need to wait for someone knowledgable to tell me more information
about this project, after which I will probably sign up and send off my poo.

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proactivesvcs
And pay £75 to pay for their research without, as far as I can find, much
information on their methodologies, details on what will happen to your data
and how it will be looked after.

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Fuxy
It would be more helpful it i knew what kind of protections my data will get.

Where did you get the £75 fee? I only see a mention of £2.90 postage.

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matternew
I suspect the £75 'donation' came from their 'fundrazr' page:
[https://fundrazr.com/campaigns/4sSf3/](https://fundrazr.com/campaigns/4sSf3/)

You seem to have to join via this fundraising site. It's mildly concerning
that their participant login site seems to be coming up with an SSL error too
( [https://www.microbio.me/BritishGut](https://www.microbio.me/BritishGut) ).
This site also takes you back round to the fundraising page when you select
the menu option to join.

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jbrooksuk
The font on the website hurts my eyes, making me squint.

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wbillingsley
To be fair, given what these researchers look at all day, we can't expect too
much from them aesthetically.

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danuker
Surveillance from the inside.

