The phrase ‘gut microbes are going extinct’ should not be treated as a medical diagnosis. Gut microbial communities differ with diet, medicines, age, environment, and health. A difference between groups of people does not prove that a particular microbe has disappeared from everyone or directly caused allergies or inflammatory bowel disease.
Microbiome differences do not establish a disease cause
Numbers or claims about microbes should not be presented as proof of cause and effect without research that supports that conclusion. The microbiome is one area of health research; it is not, by itself, a diagnosis of illness.
There is no probiotic formula for everyone
NCCIH notes that probiotic effects depend on the strain and the condition being studied. For many products, the evidence is not sufficient to say who should use them or which type is appropriate. Do not rely on microbiome testing or products advertised as restoring the gut ecosystem without advice from a qualified health professional.
Focus on practical care and treatment when indicated
Choose a varied diet and an amount of fiber that you can tolerate. Use antibiotics when they are indicated by your treating professional, and do not stop necessary medicine because of concerns about its effects on gut microbes. If digestive symptoms continue, seek an assessment of the symptoms rather than assuming they are caused by ‘dysbiosis.’