Influence of toxic metal exposure on the gut microbiota (Review)

The gut microbiota (GM) is composed of >100 trillion different organisms, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, archaea and protists, coexisting in a complex system. The GM can be very sensitive to drugs, diet or even environmental pollutants. In the present review, recent data related to the interaction between the GM and heavy/toxic metals are discussed, focusing on the compounds most widely distributed in the environment or considered...