Research paper
Alcock J, Maley CC, Aktipis CA. "Is eating behavior manipulated by the gastrointestinal microbiota? Evolutionary pressures and potential mechanisms." BioEssays. 2014;36(10):940-949. doi:10.1002/bies.201400071. PMID: 25103109.
Why we cite it
Provides a comprehensive evolutionary framework for understanding why gut microbiota manipulate host eating behavior — not merely correlating microbiome composition with diet, but proposing specific mechanisms (vagus nerve hijacking, neurotransmitter production, receptor modulation, dysphoria induction) through which microbes exert selective pressure on food choices. Uniquely reframes food cravings as microbial manipulation rather than personal willpower failure, with testable predictions and practical intervention strategies.