Microbiome Dysbiosis (1) Course Overview and Introduction to Major Concepts and Mechanisms

UPDATE February-March 2025: I’ve noticed that some of the videos previously posted/streaming from the Vimeo platform are no longer reliably visible, while at the same time, this Substack platform has progressively allowed for direct uploading/embedding of videos; as such, many of the previously-posted videos are being reloaded directly into the Substack platform for more reliable access and archiving.

Video #1: Course Introduction & Clinical Impact of Microbial Molecules: Introduction to the human microbiome and dysbiosis; terms and definitions, clinical relevance and contextualization

Objectives and Clinical Importance:

• Be able to define and explain the clinical significance of:

  • Dysbiosis, eubiosis, and the associated terminology in immunology, microbiology, and pathophysiology

• Define and explain the clinical significance of: total microbial load (TML), total inflammatory load (TIL), probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, increased intestinal permeability (AKA: intestinal hyperpermeability, leaky gut)

• Explain: The role of multifocal polydysbiosis in metabolic and inflammatory diseases

• Analyze/Interpret: Laboratory results for significance and/or lack thereof, demonstrating judicious analysis

• Demonstrate: Knowledge of the means by which microbial molecules and metabolites such as LPS, H2S, and D-lactate lead to various clinical presentations directly or by contributing to complex diseases

Clinical narrative: The information in this presentation is critically important to begin the process of deciphering the enigma of “dysbiosis” into its component and manageable parts. Consistent with the “molecular basis of disease”, our understanding of dysbiosis-induced disease is founded on the appreciation of the effects of microbial metabolites and molecules and the varied pathophysiologic responses/consequences (reviewed in the next video) per patient. By understanding the major molecules involved, we as clinicians can translate the vague concept of “dysbiosis” into a concrete understanding of cause-and-effect that can be acted upon clinically.

All videos are being re-uploaded in Feb-Mar 2025 to provide direct and reliable access through the substack platform:

1. Introduction = this current page

2. Microbiome Dysbiosis (2) Physiologic and Pathologic Mechanisms of Dysbiosis and Subclinical Microbial Colonizations (VIDEO:1hour,15minutes)

3. Microbiome Dysbiosis (3) Prototypes of Dysbiosis-Induced Disease (VIDEO:1hour,42minutes=102minutes)

4. Microbiome Dysbiosis (4) Conceptual Expansion Exploring Clinical Testing, Microbial Relevance and Irrelevance [VIDEO:1hour,18minutes=78minutes]

5. Microbiome Dysbiosis (5) Microbial Consequences in the Mouth, Oral Cavity [VIDEO:1hour,44minutes=104minutes]

6. Microbiome Dysbiosis (6) Microbial Imbalances in the Respiratory Tract and Sinuses [VIDEO:1hour,35minutes=95minutes]

My course on “Human Microbiome and Dysbiosis in Clinical Disease” was developed over several years starting formally in 2015-2017 as a continuing medical education (CME) postgraduate online conference joint-accredited for doctors, nurses, and pharmacists:

• “American Medical Association Physician's Recognition Award (AMA PRA) Category 1 Statement: This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the Essential Areas and Policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership … accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians. …designates this educational activity for a maximum of 30 AMA PRA Category 1 credits.

• Nursing Statement: …approved provider of continuing nursing education by the Washington State Nurses Association WSNA A-CNE, an accredited Approver of Continuing Nursing Education.

• Pharmacy Statement: …accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education as a provider of continuing pharmacy education. Objectives appropriate for pharmacists.”

I’ve established legitimate expertise on this topic for more than 20 years via clinical experience, post-graduate conference presentations, book publications, and numerous peer-reviewed professional publications.

1. Dr Alex Vasquez. Reducing pain and inflammation naturally - Part 6: Nutritional and Botanical Treatments Against “Silent Infections” and Gastrointestinal Dysbiosis, Commonly Overlooked Causes of Neuromusculoskeletal Inflammation and Chronic Health Problems. Nutritional Perspectives 2006 Jan

2. Dr Alex Vasquez. Neuroinflammation in fibromyalgia and CRPS is multifactorial. Nat Rev Rheumatol 2016 Apr;12(4):242. doi: 10.1038/nrrheum.2016.25 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26935282

3. Dr Alex Vasquez. Biological plausibility of the gut-brain axis in autism. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2017 Nov;1408(1):5-6. doi: 10.1111/nyas.13516 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29090837

4. Dr Alex Vasquez. Musculoskeletal Pain: Expanded Clinical Strategies: Printed monograph approved for ACCME PRA-1 Continuing Medical Education ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nlmcatalog/101633549 Published by: Institute for Functional Medicine. 2008 May

5. Dr Alex Vasquez. Mitochondrial Medicine Arrives to Prime Time in Clinical Care: Nutritional Biochemistry and Mitochondrial Hyperpermeability ("Leaky Mitochondria") Meet Disease Pathogenesis and Clinical Interventions. Integr Med (Encinitas) 2014 Aug;13(4):44-9 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26770108

6. Dr Alex Vasquez. Reply to "role of Western diet in inflammatory autoimmune diseases" by Manzel et al. In current allergy and asthma reports (volume 14, issue 1, January 2014). Curr Allergy Asthma Rep 2014 Aug;14(8):454. doi: 10.1007/s11882-014-0454-4 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24947682

7. Dr Alex Vasquez. Correspondence regarding Cutshall, Bergstrom, Kalish's "Evaluation of a functional medicine approach to treating fatigue, stress, and digestive issues in women" in Complement Ther Clin Pract 2016 May. Complement Ther Clin Pract 2018 May;31:332-333. doi: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2016.10.001 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27814977

8. Dr Alex Vasquez. The Microbiome Arrives to Prime Time in Primary Care, Implications for the Anti-Dysbiotic Treatment of Fibromyalgia. Nutritional Perspectives 2015 Oct

9. Dr Alex Vasquez. Translating Microbiome (Microbiota) and Dysbiosis Research into Clinical Practice: The 20-Year Development of a Structured Approach that Gives Actionable Form to Intellectual Concepts. International Journal of Human Nutrition and Functional Medicine 2015 Jun

Currently, my largest and most detailed explanation of dysbiosis-microbiome is in Inflammation Mastery 4th Edition currently available at discounted price directly from the publisher: