What is the gut microbiome?
Inside your gastrointestinal (GI) tract, the gut microbiome is considered a biome—a distinct ecosystem with its inhabitants characterizing it—as there are over a thousand species of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites within it. Both diet and environmental factors affect one’s gut microbiome, thus it is subjected to being harmed by such factors (“What Is Your Gut Microbiome?”).
Why is the gut microbiome important?
Intestinal bacteria within the gut microbiome are crucial for maintaining immune and metabolic homeostasis, protecting against pathogens. It also plays a role in harvesting energy, regulating host immunity, and shaping the intestinal epithelium. Humans have a symbiotic relationship with the gut microbiome, meaning that both parties serve each other and consequently benefit from one another (Thursby and Juge). The gut microbiome also plays an important role in the digestive system. Bacteria in the gut can break down large carbohydrates into smaller molecules, producing short-chain fatty acids as a byproduct. Furthermore, the microbiome is also responsible for enterohepatic circulation, a process by which bacteria metabolize bile in the intestines (“What Is Your Gut Microbiome?”)
What happens when your gut microbiome is unhealthy?
Dysbiosis refers to an unhealthy gut microbiome. It is often characterized by a deficit of beneficial bacteria, overgrowth of pathogenic bacteria, and a loss of overall bacterial diversity. When invasive pathogenic bacteria enter the gut, temporary or chronic infections may arise (“What Is Your Gut Microbiome?”). An imbalance of beneficial bacteria can also result in autoimmune issues, like thyroid problems, rheumatoid arthritis, and type 1 diabetes. Interestingly, an unhealthy gut microbiome also directly affects one’s mood, fatigue, and anxiety (Atoyebi).
How do you improve your gut health?
There are many tips to maintain a healthy gut microbiome, including small things like avoiding taking unnecessary antibiotics as they can reduce not only the bad but also the beneficial bacteria in the body, cutting back on processed foods, and staying hydrated throughout the day (Atoyebi). Taking probiotics through food or supplements can also help, as probiotics are helpful microbes that reside in the colon (“What Is Your Gut Microbiome?”)
Works Cited
Atoyebi, Diontra. “Signs of Poor Gut Health.” Piedmont Healthcare, www.piedmont.org/living-real-change/signs-of-poor-gut-health#:~:text=When%20your%20body%20doesn’t,constipation%2C%20diarrhea%2C%20heartburn%20or%20bloating. Accessed 4 Sept. 2024.
“Exploring the Human Gut Microbiome and Its Functions.” OMED Health, 31 May 2024, omedhealth.com/insights-hub/what-is-the-gut-microbiome/.
Thursby, Elizabeth, and Nathalie Juge. “Introduction to the Human Gut Microbiota.” The Biochemical Journal, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 16 May 2017, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5433529/.
“What Is Your Gut Microbiome?” Cleveland Clinic, 19 June 2024, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/25201-gut-microbiome.
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