The gut microbiome is the subject of increasing research in medicine. Understanding this complex community offers potential new insight for treating a number of diseases—gastrointestinal and otherwise. But what's the evidence base?

In this episode Dr Peter De Cruz FRACP, Head of the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Service at the Austin Hospital, discusses his recent IMJ article 'Characterisation and Therapeutic Manipulation of the Gut Microbiome in Inflammatory Bowel Disease'. To provide further review, the episode also features an interview with Professor Finlay Macrae FRACP, Head of Colorectal Medicine and Genetics at the Royal Melbourne Hospital.

Included in the discussion are: the early establishment of the microbiome and its genetic and environmental influences, pharmacological and nutritional interventions targeting the gut, and some guarded recommendations about faecal microbiota transplantation.

This episode is presented in partnership with the Internal Medicine Journal, the official peer-reviewed publication of the College's Adult Medicine Division. Links to resources mentioned on the show are provided below. Dr De Cruz's full article is available via Wiley Online Library.

This episode was produced by Alastair Wilson, with editing by Anne Fredrickson. Music from Podington Bear ('Caravan'), Kevin MacLeod ('Isolated'), and Adrianna Krikl ('Every Way', 'Wednesday'); photo courtesy Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (via Flickr). 

Editorial feedback was provided by RACP Fellows Dr Christian Lueck, Dr Kathryn Patchett and Dr Bruce Foggo. 

Please visit the RACP website for a transcript embedded with citations. Fellows of the College can claim CPD credits for listening and additional reading.