The Surprising Link Between Your Gut Fungi, Genetics, and Chronic Disease Risk

09/10/2025 7 min
The Surprising Link Between Your Gut Fungi, Genetics, and Chronic Disease Risk

Listen "The Surprising Link Between Your Gut Fungi, Genetics, and Chronic Disease Risk"

Episode Synopsis

Your genetics influence which fungi grow in your gut, and these fungi directly affect your risk for chronic conditions like heart disease Researchers discovered 148 genetic variants linked to nine groups of gut fungi, proving that your DNA helps shape your gut health Antibiotics kill bacteria but leave fungi untouched, allowing harmful fungal strains to overgrow and increase disease risk Two people eating the same foods can have very different health outcomes because genetic differences decide which fungi thrive in their gut Gut microbiome patterns, including fungi and bacteria, are strong predictors of cardiovascular disease risk, yet most clinics still ignore this critical factor

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