Volunteers are being sought for a major study to help determine how the gut microbiome can be used to treat multiple sclerosis, lupus, and other diseases.

What if your gut flora was actually a healing agent capable of doing battle with autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis, lupus, and rheumatoid arthritis?

According to researchers, it just might be.

And a major multiple sclerosis organization is looking for volunteers to help prove it.

Gut flora, technically known as gastrointestinal microbiota, is the complex community of microorganisms that live in your digestive tract. These microorganisms are a critical part of your health.

Bacteria line your intestine and help you digest food. They also send signals to the immune system and make small molecules that can help your brain function.

You get gut flora at birth from your mother, but after that it’s heavily influenced by lifestyle and eating habits.

Researchers have determined that people with certain diseases often have a different mix of bacteria in their intestines compared to healthier people.

There are more than 80 autoimmune diseases in which the body turns on itself. In response to an unknown trigger, the immune system begins producing antibodies that instead of fighting infections, attack the body’s own tissues.

Since more women are affected than men, some physicians believe hormones may play a role.

The American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association (AARDA) calls these ailments a major health problem. It’s estimated that at least 23 million Americans have these chronic and sometimes life-threatening diseases.

But help may be on the way.