

Recent synthesis? From 2018?
The study quoted doesn’t say anything of what the headline suggests. It’s a lab study on nitrate walls on a petri dish. Also quotes a study linking correlation (not causation) of higher anxiety with over sanitization of hands…during covid, when everyone had heightened anxiety. And the difference is not statistically significant.
Sorry, but this one is a dud. None of the sources support the thesis of the essay. Just wash your gross hands.
Absolutely, I also forgot to mention. Over sanitation, to the levels mentioned very— extremely, I cannot stress enough how brief of a mention it is—briefly on the quoted article are more of a concern for surgeons. Doing 25 surgeries on a day means scrubbing as many times. Sure, these doctors do develop skin issues due to over sanitation of hands. But your average Katie and Joe are not scrubbing to chirurgical sterile conditions when using some alcohol gel a couple times a day. They’ll be fine.
Gut microbiota? That’s zero percent to do with washing hands and 100% with what you eat. Just eat a healthy, balanced and mostly fresh ingredients based diet. Get a ton of yogurt in there if you want to support your gut team. Not washing your hands will not give you good bacteria, but it will give you parasites that will absolutely fuck up your gut microbiome.
People, just wash your damn hands.