So THAT’S Why Some People Get Food Poisoning And Others Don’t

To put it simply, your body may not be able to fight off food poisoning. Every single person is completely different in a multitude of ways, including their immune system and gut microbiome, the home of trillions of microorganisms that can influence your digestive system and overall health.

When it comes to food poisoning, it completely disrupts your gut microbiome, which is why you feel so sick. If you and your friend eat the same undercooked hamburger and you have an unhealthy microbiome while they have a healthier one, you may experience a bit of an upset stomach afterward.  

“A person with an inadequate microbiome will experience food poisoning more often,” Mazur said.

If you fuel your body with healthy foods, your microbiome will thrive. If you don’t, your gut microbiome may not be able to fight off bacteria from the undercooked or raw food that gave you food poisoning. 

Mazur said the characteristics of an inadequate microbiome are a lack of beneficial bacteria and microbial diversity, as well as high concentrations of pathogenic bacteria, which is a significant risk factor for frequent bouts of food poisoning.

He also noted two other things that can affect whether someone gets sick or not: if they ate enough of the food to become infected, and what else they ate or drank that day.

“If you started the day drinking alcohol heavily, you’ve already damaged your healthy microbiome for the day, making you more susceptible on that specific day,” Mazur said.

Your diet plays a part in how healthy your gut microbiome is.