Estimates suggest our gut microbiota weighs about:

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BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

When considering estimates of the mass of the gut microbiota, several numbers might come to mind, so it helps to compare each option:
Option 1: 5 lbs. This choice aligns with some broader estimations that place the combined mass of gut microbes at a few pounds, reflecting the sizable community living in the intestines and their collective biomass.
Option 2: 0.5 lbs. This is likely too small given the density and diversity of microbial life in the gut; numerous species occupy space and contribute to overall mass, making a half-pound figure less plausible.
Option 3: 1 lb. While closer than 0.5 lbs, 1 pound still underestimates the total microbial biomass reported by various estimates, which typically suggest a several-pound range when all microbes are counted across the entire gut.
Option 4: 10 lbs. This figure would overstate the typical estimate, as it implies a mass twice as large as the higher-end commonly cited ranges, stretching beyond what most studies report.
In evaluating these options, it helps to recall that the gut microbiota constitutes a substantial, though not enormous, portion of body mass. The other numbers either fall well below the widely accepted ballpark or exceed it beyond typical estimates, whereas 5 lbs sits within a plausible upper-range estimate given current literature on microbial biomass in the human gut.
Consider the underlying idea: microbial communities contribute to weight through their sheer cell numbers, biochemical content, and the fact that they inhabit the entire gastrointestinal tract, not just a small localized region. Consequently, the lower values may underestimate the total biomass, and the highest value may overstate it, while 5 lbs captures a credible mass within commonly cited estimates.
Taking all these comparisons into account helps justify why 5 lbs is presented as the correct option in this set, whereas the other choices misrepresent the typical range by being too low or too high for the gut microbiota’s estimated mass.

2025SP-FSHN-150-001 Week 15 Quiz

Estimates suggest our gut microbiota weighs about:

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