Is appendix really useless? Woman blames chronic stomach problems to its removal. Here’s what science reveals
Scientists used to think the appendix inside the human body was a vestigial organ. In an Instagram video shared on April 29, an Instagram user who goes by the username Pumkpin Head highlighted how getting her appendix removed in childhood may have led to her stomach issues in adulthood.
The woman shared her video with the caption, “Can I have my appendix back? I’m trying to see something.” In the clip, she narrated her journey of dealing with chronic digestive issues that began following an appendectomy when she was in kindergarten. She correlated the two after learning that recent medical research found the appendix serves as a critical reservoir for beneficial bacteria, helping maintain a healthy gut microbiome.
‘It’s used to store the good gut bacteria’
The video begins with her sharing, “I always thought the appendix wasn’t used for anything because that’s what I was told as a child. That’s what a lot of scientists and medical professionals believed for a long time. It’s a vestigial organ we have; it came through evolution, but it wasn’t actually utilised for anything. So, when you have to have it removed, it’s not a big deal. I had mine removed in kindergarten.”
She confessed that recently she learned that researchers have found the appendix actually has a purpose in the human body. It’s used to store the good gut germs you need: the beneficial bacteria in your gut biome. Moreover, research also suggested that a lot of people have chronic stomach conditions because the natural biome of their gut is not set up properly.
She then revealed that she has had stomach problems her entire life, since around kindergarten, when she got the appendix removed. Linking the findings and her chronic stomach issues, she then asked, “Are my stomach problems because I got my appendix removed? How many other people with no appendix have a lot of stomach problems?”
What does science say?
Appendix, for the longest time, was considered a vestigial organ by science, meaning it had no known function. However, recent research shows that your appendix is an important organ for your overall health. This is especially true in early life, when your immune system is developing.
A 2007 report published by Duke University Medical Centre confirmed that the appendix is a place where the good bacteria can live safely and undisturbed until they are needed.
More recently, in June 2025, a study published in Gut Pathogens highlighted that, serving as a safe house for beneficial gut bacteria, the appendix is protected by resilient biofilms that create a secure environment. This makes the appendix a basin for gut microbiota, replenishing the microbial population following disruptions caused by infections, antibiotic use, or inflammatory bowel disease.
So, why do some people have appendicitis? According to William Parker, PhD, assistant professor of experimental surgery, who conducted the analysis for the Duke University Medical Centre, people in hygienic societies have higher rates of allergy and autoimmune disease because they have not been as challenged during everyday life by the host of parasites or other disease-causing organisms commonly found in the environment.
When their immune systems are challenged, it may trigger inflammation associated with appendicitis, which can obstruct the intestines and cause acute appendicitis.
Comments are closed.