Gut Microbiota

Where can we find it?

As its name states, gut microbiota is harboured in the intestine, one of the main areas in our bodies that comes into contact with the external environment (other examples are the skin and the lungs).

Living inside of your gut are 300 to 500 different kinds of bacteria containing nearly 2 million genes. Paired with other tiny organisms like viruses and fungi, they make what’s known as the microbiota, or the microbiome. Like a fingerprint, each person’s microbiota is unique:

The mix of bacteria in your body is different from everyone else’s mix. It’s determined partly by your mother’s microbiota — the environment that you’re exposed to at birth — and partly from your diet and lifestyle. The bacteria live throughout your body, but the ones in your gut may have the biggest impact on your well-being. They line your entire digestive system. Most live in your intestines and colon. They affect everything from your metabolism to your mood to your immune system.

The main factors that affect your personal microbial mix are age, diet, environment, genes, and medications (particularly exposure to antibiotics, which can deplete gut bacteria). Your gut microbiota plays many roles. It metabolizes nutrients from food and certain medications, serves as a protective barrier against intestinal infections, and produces vitamin K, which helps make blood-clotting proteins.

But the gut microbiota may do much more. Most research has involved only preliminary animal studies; however, initial findings suggest gut bacteria may be the key to preventing or treating some diseases.

How is gut bacteria linked to obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease?

Your gut bacteria affect your body’s metabolism. They determine things like how many calories you get from food and what kinds of nutrients you draw from it. Too much gut bacteria can make you turn fiber into fatty acids. This may cause fat deposits in your liver, which can lead to something called “metabolic syndrome” — a condition that often leads to type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and obesity.

How is gut bacteria linked to inflammatory bowel diseases?

People with inflammatory bowel diseases are believed to have lower levels of certain anti-inflammatory gut bacteria. The exact connection is still unclear. But it’s thought that some bacteria may make your body attack your intestines and set the stage for these diseases.

How is gut bacteria linked to colon cancer?

Studies show that people with colon cancer have a different gut microbiota, including higher levels of disease-causing bacteria, than healthy people.

How is gut bacteria linked to arthritis?

It’s thought that people with rheumatoid arthritis may have greater amounts of a bacteria linked to inflammation than people without it.

What can you do to get a healthy gut bacteria?

Start by eating a nutritious diet high in fiber-rich foods, like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. A “western” diet that’s high in fat and sugar and low in fiber can kill certain types of gut bacteria, making your microbiota less diverse. Exercise can also encourage the growth of a variety of gut bacteria. Having a more varied gut microbiota may promote better health and, in turn, reduce your risk of disease.

Here are some suggestions for healthy gut:

• Do not overuse antibiotics. Again, overusing antibiotics can deplete good gut bacteria. “In general, older people are more susceptible to infections and have more medical problems, so they are more likely to be prescribed antibiotics.
• Don’t be so quick to ask for antibiotics to fight viral ailments like the common cold, she says. Also, if your doctor prescribes one, ask if you really need it, what is the shortest treatment course, and whether there are alternative methods.
• Eat more fermented foods. Bacteria are living organisms that need to eat. A healthy, varied, balanced; high-fiber diet with complex carbohydrates is good for the bacteria living in your gut and encourages a diverse ecosystem.

• Other helpful dietary choices include naturally fermented foods containing probiotics (live bacteria), such as sauerkraut, pickles, miso, certain types of yogurt, and kefir (a yogurt-based drink).
• Probiotic supplements are another option. They are also touted as a remedy for common digestive problems like irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, and infectious diarrhea. However, the science is still cloudy about their overall effectiveness for these and other related conditions.