We often think of our health as something that happens only inside our bodies. However, a large community of microbes, known as the microbiome, plays a huge role in our overall well-being. New research suggests that spending intentional time with animals might actually change the makeup of these internal microbes.
Researchers looked at 30 different publications to see how human-animal interactions affect people. They found that 24 of those 30 studies reported a significant change in the human microbiome when people interacted with animals. This suggests a strong link between our bond with pets and the microscopic world living within us.
While these findings are promising, the evidence is still early. The researchers noted that many studies did not provide specific details on how long the interactions lasted or what types of animals were involved. Because of these gaps in reporting, we cannot yet say exactly how much time you need to spend with an animal to see a change.
