Do you know about the little friends in your gut? (Gut Microbiome) Let's talk about this!

Would you be surprised to learn that we all have millions of tiny organisms living inside our bodies, especially in our gut? In fact, this is what we call the gut microbiome . Just like a large forest has a variety of trees and animals, our gut is also an ecosystem full of tiny organisms. It is unique to you, like your fingerprint.

What is the Gut Microbiome? Let's understand it very simply.

Simply put, a biome is a unique ecosystem that is adapted to a particular environment and the organisms that live there. So, your gut, that is, the large intestine, and the small intestine inside it are also a small ecosystem. It contains trillions, that is, billions, of tiny organisms that are invisible to the naked eye. Among these are thousands of species of bacteria , as well as viruses , fungi, and parasites .

Think about it, your own gut microbiome is unique to you. A baby first gets these microbes from their mother, either during vaginal birth or through breastfeeding. Then, new microbes are added to our little world through things like the food we eat and the environment we live in. However, some things can harm these people and reduce their population.

Why are these tiny organisms in the gut (Gut Microbiome) so important to us?

Most of these microbes in our gut live with us as friends. In medicine, this is called a symbiotic relationship . This means that we both benefit from it. We give them food and shelter, and they in turn perform many important services that our bodies need. Not only that, these good friends also help to keep bad organisms in check.

You can think of it this way: Your gut microbiome is like a beautiful, lush orchard that you've planted. It provides you with nutritious food and medicine. When the orchard is healthy and thriving, it's good for you. But if the soil becomes barren, if it becomes toxic, or if weeds and pests overwhelm the good plants, the whole ecosystem goes into disarray, right? That's how it is.

What do these friends in our gut (Gut Microbiome) actually do?

This collection of microbes in your gut, called the gut microbiome , is connected to many of your body's systems and helps with various functions. In fact, some doctors call it like another organ in our body. Some of these connections we're still learning about, but some we know very well.

How to help the digestive system

Some bacteria in our gut help us break down complex carbohydrates and fiber that we can't digest on our own. In the process, they produce essential nutrients like short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) . They also provide enzymes needed to produce certain vitamins, such as vitamin B1, B9, B12, and vitamin K.

Although these may seem like small nutrients, these micronutrient deficiencies can have a big impact on our health. In particular, these short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) nourish the cells in our gut walls and help keep the entire gut environment healthy.

Not only that, these bacteria also help in the metabolism of bile in the intestine. Our liver sends bile to the small intestine to help digest fat. When that job is done, bacteria and their enzymes break down this bile, and the bile acids are absorbed back into the liver and recycled. This is called enterohepatic circulation . Imagine if this process stopped, our body would not be able to recycle bile acids, and the liver would not have enough acids to make new bile. Then, our digestive system would not have enough bile to digest and absorb fat. Also, the cholesterol in the bile would start to accumulate in our blood.

How to strengthen our immune system

The beneficial microbes in our gut teach our immune system to distinguish them from harmful, disease-causing organisms. Did you know that our gut is the largest organ in our immune system? It contains about 80% of our immune cells. These cells help to eliminate the pathogens that enter our bodies every day.

Good gut microbes compete directly with bad ones for space and nutrients, so the bad ones don't have a chance to spread too much. Some chronic bacterial infections that affect our gastrointestinal system, such as C. difficile and H. pylori, are directly linked to a decline in the population of these good microbes.

Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) , a byproduct of beneficial gut bacteria, have many important benefits for our immune system. They help maintain our gut barrier , which prevents bacteria and bacterial toxins from leaking into our bloodstream. They also have anti-inflammatory properties that reduce inflammation in our gut.

Inflammation is a function of our immune system, but sometimes it can become overactive. Chronic inflammation is a hallmark of autoimmune diseases . It may also be linked to a number of other diseases, including cancer. It appears that short-chain fatty acids suppress this inflammatory response.

The connection with the brain (Gut-Brain Axis)

Gut microbes can influence our nervous system through a pathway called the gut-brain axis . This is a network of nerves, neurons, and neurotransmitters that run along our gastrointestinal tract. Surprisingly, some bacteria actually produce or stimulate the production of neurotransmitters like serotonin . These are the chemicals that send signals to our brain.

Bacterial products can also affect our nervous system. Short-chain fatty acids seem to have a beneficial effect, but bacterial toxins can damage nerves. Researchers are still investigating how our gut microbes are involved in various neurological diseases, behavioral problems, nerve pain, and psychological problems.

Help for the Endocrine System

Gut microbes and their products also interact with endocrine cells in the walls of our intestines. These cells ( enteroendocrine cells ) make our intestines the largest endocrine organ in our body. These cells secrete hormones that control various aspects of our metabolism, such as blood sugar levels, hunger, and satiety.

Researchers are continuing to explore how our gut microbes are linked to conditions like metabolic syndrome (which includes obesity, insulin resistance , and Type 2 Diabetes ) and fatty liver disease. These conditions are thought to be linked to certain gut microbes, but it's not yet clear exactly what.

Where is the gut microbiome actually located?

We usually refer to our gastrointestinal (GI) tract as the "gut." Most people think of it as the intestines. Although your stomach and small intestine contain some gut microbes, the majority of them live in your large intestine, or colon . They float around inside, or are attached to, the mucous membrane that lines the inside walls.

The types of bacteria that live in the large intestine are different from those that live elsewhere. They are mostly anaerobic bacteria . This means they need an environment with little oxygen to survive. They can't thrive in the upper parts of our gastrointestinal tract because of the high oxygen levels, rapid movement, and harsh digestive juices.

These anaerobic gut bacteria perform important functions in our large intestine that only they can do. They are the ones who break down the indigestible fibers in our digestive system and produce essential nutrients that we cannot get otherwise. Also, these organisms are only beneficial to us within their natural ecosystem.

Important: If these bacteria leave the colon, they can become harmful. If bacteria from the colon travel to the small intestine and settle there, they can interfere with the digestive processes there. Also, if bacteria from the colon invade the intestinal wall, or if they break out through a wound in the intestinal wall, they can cause infections inside our bodies.

What is dysbiosis? Is it an imbalance in the gut?

Doctors use the term dysbiosis to describe an unbalanced or unhealthy gut microbiome.

Dysbiosis is:

• Loss or decrease in beneficial bacteria.
• Excessive growth of harmful, potentially pathogenic bacteria.
• Loss of overall diversity of microorganisms.

Dysbiosis can start with one of these three, but the others follow soon after. With a decrease in beneficial bacteria, our gut is more susceptible to pathogens or invasive organisms. These bad guys can overwhelm other microbes and spread, reducing the diversity of the entire ecosystem.

What things affect these little friends in our gut?

Just as a garden is affected by nutrients, toxins, pests, and weeds, so are the microbes in our gut. That is, our diet, exposure to chemicals, pathogens, and the regular movement of our intestines.

The food we eat (Diet)

The different types of bacteria in our gut need different types of fiber to thrive. Different organisms prefer different whole foods. In response, they produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) and other byproducts. These nourish our gut and lower the pH inside, creating a more favorable environment for more beneficial bacteria.

On the other hand, a diet high in sugar and saturated fat favors less beneficial microbes. Processed foods are not only low in fiber and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals), but they also contain a lot of preservatives and additives. These can be harmful to our microbes.

Chemicals

Chemicals that can be toxic to our microbes include things like alcohol, tobacco smoke, and environmental pollutants. Also, medications like antibiotics can kill off both the bad bacteria and the good bacteria. Other medications, like acid blockers, can affect the microbes by changing the pH level in the gut.

With temporary chemical exposure, for example, a short-term prescription for an illness, our gut microbes can usually return to normal. However, long-term exposure can change their composition. If you take certain medications regularly, or if you drink alcohol frequently, it can disrupt the growth of some microbes.

Diversity

In a healthy gut microbiome, different types of microbes help each other. Think of how different plants in a garden help each other pollinate each other and enrich the soil. For example, some types break down compounds to make food for other types, or their byproducts change the acidity of the "soil."

On the other hand, an ecosystem that doesn't support a healthy diversity of microbes is more likely to be overrun by invasive species. When healthy competition is lacking, these "weeds" and "pests" take over the habitat, depriving other species of the resources they need to survive.

Intestinal motility

Motility is the systematic movement of your intestines. This is how your microbial "harvest" turns over. As they travel through your large intestine, they help break down indigestible compounds into nutrients that you can absorb. Then, most of them come out in your stool. How long this takes affects your microbes.

As food and waste travel through the digestive system, different microorganisms are distributed to different places. If this journey is too fast, they don't have time to settle there and do their job. However, if this journey is too slow, they can overeat, grow too much, and spread beyond their limits.

What health problems arise when this balance in the gut (Gut Microbiome) is lost?

There are diseases that are directly related to intestinal dysbiosis , that is, the loss of this balance.

Directly related medical conditions

• Infections: Invasive pathogens can cause temporary or chronic infections in your gut. This can cause diarrhea, inflammation ( colitis ), and toxic damage to your intestinal wall. Some strains can directly invade your intestinal barrier, enter your bloodstream, and threaten to spread throughout your body. Dysbiosis weakens your gut’s defenses against these pathogens.
• SIBO (Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth): This is a condition of dysbiosis that occurs in your small intestine. This means that certain types of bacteria there grow too much, use up too many resources, and produce too many byproducts. Sometimes, bacteria from your large intestine can move into your small intestine and settle where they don't belong. This can be caused by slow bowel movements.
• IBD (Inflammatory bowel disease): This is a group of autoimmune conditions that affect your intestines. It includes ulcerative colitis , microscopic colitis, and Crohn's disease . Dysbiosis in the gut is one of the criteria used to diagnose IBD. Researchers don't yet know exactly which of the two comes first, but they do know that the two conditions are linked and that one contributes to the other, making it worse.
• Atherosclerosis: Some less-than-beneficial gut bacteria increase your risk of cardiovascular disease by producing a byproduct called trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) . This byproduct builds up in your arteries and contributes to atherosclerosis , or the thickening of the artery walls. This is one of the things that heart blood tests look for when determining your risk of coronary artery disease (CAD) .

Other situations that may be indirectly related

Here are some other conditions that may be indirectly related to dysbiosis:

• Allergies
• Anxiety
• Asthma
• Autism
• Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)
• Colon cancer
• Diabetes
• Depression
• Fatty liver disease
• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
• Liver cancer
• Multiple sclerosis (MS)
• Neurodegenerative diseases
• Obesity
• Pancreatic cancer
• Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)

What are the signs that I have a problem with my gut microbiome?

Common symptoms of gut dysbiosis include:

• Gas and gas pain
• Bloated stomach
• Poor digestion
• Lower abdominal pain
• Diarrhea
• Constipation

Can this gut health (Gut Microbiome) be tested?

Many commercial laboratories offer gut microbiome testing kits to consumers. You can send a stool sample to a lab, and they will send you a report with a brief description of the composition of your gut microbes. However, clinicians do not typically use or recommend these tests.

That's because we don't yet know enough about the different types of gut microbes and how they affect our health to make a report like this useful. There's a lot of exciting research going on, but there's still a long way to go before a gut microbiome test can give you practical, personalized health advice.

How do doctors treat this?

Here are some medical treatments for problems with your gut microbiota:

• Elimination diet: This is a short-term diet. It is designed to isolate the foods that are causing your gastrointestinal symptoms. These are often the foods that your gut microbes love to eat. When too many microbes eat too many of these foods, they produce too many byproducts. That is why symptoms like bloating and diarrhea occur. One way to reduce them is to not feed them.
• Antibiotics: If you have an infection or overgrowth of certain bacteria in your gut, the usual treatment is to take a course of antibiotics. Once that's finished, a healthy gut microbiome can be restored. But some people's guts need a little help to get back on track. Doctors may recommend taking supplements like prebiotics and probiotics to help restore your gut microbiome.
• Fecal transplant: One treatment that can restore severely damaged gut microbiota is a fecal transplant. It involves transferring a sample of microbes from a healthy gut to a diseased gut. It is currently approved only to treat antibiotic-resistant, recurrent C. diff infections. But researchers are exploring whether it could be used as a treatment for other conditions.

So, how do we take good care of these little friends in our gut (Gut Microbiome)? (Things to remember)

A healthy diet and lifestyle can help to create a healthy gut microbiome. For example:

• Improve your gut health naturally by eating a varied, plant-based diet. Try to eat a variety of whole foods, such as whole grains, vegetables, and fruits. These provide your gut microbes with plenty of fiber and micronutrients. These foods also reduce inflammation in your gut, which affects the environment inside. Processed and fast foods do the exact opposite.
• Try probiotics and prebiotics. You can get probiotics and prebiotics from supplements or from food. Probiotics are beneficial microorganisms that you can eat. They can be taken as supplements or fermented foods and allowed to colonize your colon. Your doctor can help you choose the best probiotic for you. Prebiotics are dietary fibers that feed your good gut bacteria.
• Be careful when using antibiotics. There are times when you really need to take antibiotics, but there are also times when you really don't. Overuse of antibiotics among the general population is leading to antibiotic resistance . In humans, this can kill off your good bacteria along with the bad bacteria. Sometimes this can upset the balance of your gut microbiome, allowing the wrong types of bacteria to grow back.

The topic of the gut microbiome is a hot topic in the medical and wellness community these days, and it's easy to see why. These tiny creatures seem to have branches all over the body, so it's possible they might hold the key to understanding and treating some of the most difficult diseases.

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As research continues, doctors are both optimistic and cautious. The more we learn, the more we realize how much more we have to learn. But what we learn also goes back to confirming some of our oldest wellness principles. Specifically: A healthy, whole food diet is the key to a healthy gut. So, don’t forget to think about these little friends in your gut and practice good health habits!

` Gut microbiome, gut health, microbes, digestion, immunity, probiotics, dysbiosis