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What is a poop transplant, and how does it work? | Kathryn M. Stephenson and David L. Suskind

What is a poop transplant, and how does it work? | Kathryn M. Stephenson and David L. Suskind

10 min

1,700 years ago, Chinese alchemist Ge Hong was renowned for his soup that could cure diarrhea-stricken patients. It had one surprising secret ingredient: feces. While it might seem absurd, and nauseating, to consume feces, exciting new research suggests that taking poop into the body in other ways might provide health benefits. Kathryn M. Stephenson & David L. Suskind share the science of fecal microbial transplantation. This TED-Ed lesson was directed by Luisa Holanda, narrated by Susan Zimmerman, music by Gabriel Maia. After the talk, Shoshana delves into how your gut microbiome impacts your overall health.


1,700 years ago, Chinese alchemist Ge Hong was renowned for his soup that could cure diarrhea-stricken patients. It had one surprising secret ingredient: feces. While it might seem absurd, and nauseating, to consume feces, exciting new research suggests that taking poop into the body in other ways might provide health benefits. Kathryn M. Stephenson and David L. Suskind share the science of fecal microbial transplantation. This TED-Ed lesson was directed by Luisa Holanda, narrated by Susan Zimmerman and music by Gabriel Maia. After the talk, Shoshana delves into how your gut microbiome impacts your overall health.