Recent studies have shown, we are much more intertwined with bacteria than scientists were aware of. For example, the human body contains 10 times more bacterial cells than human cells. This discovery has caused a shock in the scientific world; scientists are talking about a fundamental review of how we see an organism.
In this light it is interesting to see, how the same measures used to make bacteria more receptive for new information, are somehow also wholesome for the human body.
The first thing used in genetics, that works in making bacteria receptive to changes in their DNA, is nutritional limitation. For a human, this would mean fasting. There is lots of information on the Internet about research on (intermittent) fasting; where it comes down to, is that fasting is a very healthy habit. Most importantly, it increases BDNF, which is a substance that increases the growth of new nerve cells in the brain, and does much more than that. BDNF is neuroprotective against stress and toxic insults to the brain and is somehow–no one yet knows how, exactly–involved in the insulin sensitivity/glucose regulating mechanism. Humans with greater levels of BDNF have lower levels of depression. BDNF given to depressed humans reduces their depression. And increased levels of BDNF improves cognitive ability.
The second thing that works for bacteria, is moisturing them in a certain solution, then expose them to cold followed by heat. These conditions, used for bacteria, are for a human the equivalent of drinking a lot of water together with taking a cold shower or bath, and next to sit in the sauna. Benefits of the sauna as used now are questionable, yet used after cold exposure it is found that: Cold water exposure challenges both the neuro-endocrine and the immune systems, reduces stress hormones and attenuates their response. Increases ADH and cortisol and increases immunomodulatory cytokines. Cold water exposure and adaptation can modify the sensory functions of hypothalamic thermoregulatory centres to lower heat loss and produce less heat during cold exposure and have immunostimulating effects. The thermogenic action of adrenaline in cold exposure produces heat and may reduce this stress hormone. An important effect is the ability of sauna to use up excess sympathetic nerve tone in both the central and peripheral nervous systems and just as importantly use up excess levels of local tissue hormones involved in feedback loops to the hypothalamus, thus aiding recovery in chronic illness.
Another method that works on bacteria is to inject gold particles into the cell together with the DNA. Where it comes to humans, it is reported that the ancient Egyptians had discovered that by eating powdered gold one could become immortal. But gold is biologically inert. It is not absorbed into the bloodstream and it passes through the body as none of the chemicals in the human digestive system are able to break it down. It does not appear to react with anything and is unaffected by moisture, oxygen and ordinary acids. Edible gold passes out of the body after about 24 hours unchanged. Yet eating gold has long been considered to have health benefits. New-age gurus claim that eating gold improves mental capacities and helps regenerate deficient organs. A recently published brochure for a new champagne states “it is currently advised for nervous weakness, breakdowns and against fears and frustrations”. But how this is supposed to work, it being biologically inert, is the question.
As to a more rigorous method, another method used on bacteria is electroporation. In this method the cells are briefly shocked with an electric field of 10-20 kV/cm which is thought to create holes in the cell membrane through which the plasmid DNA may enter. After the electric shock the holes are rapidly closed by the cell’s membrane-repair mechanisms. For humans: A recent technique called non-thermal irreversible electroporation (N-TIRE) has proven successful in treating many different types of tumors and other unwanted tissue in animals and humans. Yet it is difficult, as it has to be very precise not to damage healthy cells.
These similarities are interesting, especially when we also take viruses into account. A virus is a small organism without a cell. A bacterium has a cell. Now the virus needs the cell of the bacterium to reproduce itself. It goes through these phases: The virus attaches to the bacterium, it penetrates the bacterium, it releases fluid, then the reproduction of genomes finds place, then there is a phase of maturation, followed by birth (bursting out of the bacterial cell). This process looks a lot like how we reproduce ourselves.
All in all, physiologically very much like us, so to say. Only question that remains, as ever, is the miracle of the human mind.