Is the gut microbiome the key to our health?

The human body is fascinating, that’s a given, but what’s come to surface amongst neuroscientists, doctors and even in the health and wellness industry, is talk of the gut microbiome. This is a complex ecosystem of bacteria found in the stomach, home to the immune system, and what’s now turning out to be the most important organ in the body.

There are about 100 trillion bacteria inside your body right now. Sounds gross but these microbes can make a huge difference to your waistline, physical wellbeing and even your mental health. Whilst you may picture bacteria causing sickness, these ones are actually beneficial.

So, it begs the question, just how seriously should we take the bugs that reside in our guts and can we ‘steer’ these organisms to ensure we live with good health overall?

The gut microbiome – let’s break it down.

The human microbiome is composed of bacteria, viruses and microbes that reside in and on our bodies. The microorganisms that live in the digestive system – the intestine to be exact – play a key role in digesting and absorbing the nutrients from the food that we eat. But these bugs go further than the gut when it comes to important processes.

Functional medicine specialist Dr Josh Axe explains the gut bacteria:

• Aids in the extraction of energy (calories) and nutrients, including vitamins and minerals, amino acids, fatty acids and antioxidants
• Helps produce hormones
• Manages appetite and body weight
• Digests fibre and starches, which form your poo
• Controls mood
• Prevents colds and viruses
• Helps repair damaged tissues

An important point to highlight is that each and every person has their own unique make-up of microbes. This means that no two bodies are the same and explains why some people may have an intolerance to a food group such as dairy, or suffers from a condition such as leaky gut, whilst another person does not.

What can our gut tell us about our health?

Research has found that gut microbiomes have tremendous potential to impact both health and disease. This is because they contribute to metabolic functions, protect against pathogens and influence the immune system. These processes affect our overall physiological functions.

The bacterial microbes found in the gut communicate directly with the neurons in our brains, which is known as the gut-brain connection. They can influence health conditions such as inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), depression, anxiety and autoimmune disorders.

Does the gut microbiome evolve as we age?

Our bacterial profile is set from the time we are born as we pass through the vaginal canal during childbirth to breastfeeding in infancy, and into our early childhood. There are many factors that influence the bacteria in your gut. These include:

• Whether you are delivered vaginally or by caesarean
• If you are breast or bottle-fed
• The genetics of your parents and your grandparents

A recent study even highlighted that the gut microbiome may influence how our brains develop as children, focusing on the areas of the brain associated with attention, language development and acquisition.

Then, the microbiome remains stable throughout your life, although certain risk factors influence how your gut flora is shaped as you continue to grow. This can be due to your environment, genetics, stressful events and lifestyle behaviours such as poor diet and smoking.

Dysbiosis – when the gut bacteria becomes imbalanced!

Dysbiosis is when the gut microbiome has become disrupted. When this occurs, it can lead to infections and other health issues. Diseases from IBD to colon cancer and C.difficile have been linked to dysbiosis. The symptoms of dysbiosis do not necessarily appear in the gut itself and can surface as depression, anxiety, skin issues, allergies and autoimmunity.

The following are risk factors for an imbalance of microorganisms in your gut:

• Overuse of antibiotics – whilst the medication kills off bacteria causing infection, they also destroy your good bacteria, giving bad bacteria the chance to take over again.
• Unhealthy diet – processed foods and a lack of nutrients.
• High-stress levels – from work to family life.
• Secondary to medical illness -such as chemotherapy in cancer cases.

Is it possible, like our genes, to determine if we are predisposed to the development of serious medical conditions?

Genetics determine our characteristics, from our eye to our hair colour. They can also directly cause or increase our chances of developing some pretty serious medical conditions and, depending on the type of genetic disorder, can predispose someone to cystic fibrosis, diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity or cancer.

But, as with our genes, research is now alluding to the importance of the gut microbiome in our health and its role in predetermining diseases. A paper published by Cancer Research in June 2019, released the results of a study on mice that highlighted how a pre-existing disrupted microbiome promoted the spread of breast cancer.

We all lead our own daily lives in different environments, habits and surroundings. This influences our microbiome and it’s what makes our gut bacteria slightly unique to our parents, siblings and friends.

It’s difficult to say what exactly makes a healthy gut. But, we do know that the gut fights off infection, performs digestive functions and keeps the body running. That’s why we can focus on external behaviours such as eating a healthy diet, regular exercise, quality sleep and reducing stress to try and have some control. Just as your car needs a regular MOT, consider it a preventative measure for developing serious health conditions.

The three Ps – probiotic, prebiotic and polyphenols!

There’s been a surge in health and wellness enthusiasts engaging in the use of probiotics and prebiotics. Fortunately, these are mostly found in foods and are simple enough to add to your daily routine, whilst lowering foods that wreak havoc on the stomach.

Probiotics

According to London gastroenterologist Dr Devinder Bansi: “probiotics are medicines or foods that have been fermented or supplements which contain healthy bacteria. The best known are called lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and bifidobacteria.”

Sources of probiotics include the following:

Yoghurt –made by fermenting milk with live bacteria. Some yoghurt is suitable for people with lactose intolerance, but not all yoghurt is the same and it’s important to read the label before you buy. Always opt for organic, check whether it contains the active or live cultures and look at the sugar content. Generally low or fat-free yoghurts tend to have high amounts of added sugar or additives as opposed to full fat, which will keep you feeling fuller for longer.

Kefir – this is a probiotic milk drink made by adding grains of kefir to cow’s or goat’s milk. It contains major strains of friendly bacteria and yeast and is generally well tolerated by those who are lactose intolerant.

Kombucha – you have probably seen the fermented tea drink cropping up in every restaurant and supermarket recently. High-quality evidence on the benefits of kombucha is lacking, however, it is fermented with bacteria and yeast so probably does have a few probiotic properties. Again, opt for organic and have an awareness of the amount of sugar in one bottle.

Sauerkraut – the finely shredded white cabbage has been fermented by lactic acid bacteria. It also contains vitamins C, B and K, and is high in sodium, iron and manganese. Choose unpasteurised sauerkraut to benefit from the live bacteria. It can be added to salads, made into a side dish or even eaten straight out of the jar!

Other sources of probiotics include tempeh, kimchi, gherkins and some types of cheese such as Gouda, mozzarella, mature cheddar and cottage cheese.

Prebiotics

Prebiotics are a type of fibre. They are the indigestible plant fibres that feed the probiotics that already live inside the large intestine. The more foods that you eat containing probiotics and prebiotics, the more efficiently the gut bacteria work.

Dr Bansi further explains that prebiotics are: “foods that the body cannot breakdown and absorb. They encourage the growth and activity of healthy gut microbes.”

Foods with prebiotics include bananas, apples, onions, garlic, leeks, dandelion, asparagus, oats, wheat bran and flaxseeds.

Polyphenols

And finally, polyphenols. These are the natural chemicals that occur in plants. There are more than 500 types, which are collectively known as phytochemicals. Polyphenols contain antioxidants and one study has even shown that they lower the risk of type 2 diabetes. They too have been proven to influence gut bacteria.

Major sources include green tea, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, spices, nuts and dark chocolate.

Other than diet – how can we manage our microbes?

Aside from improving our diet by eating a balance of nutritious foods and cutting back on the processed junk and booze, we can also change other external factors. We can start by making small positive changes that will ultimately lead to a big difference to our long-term health.

Stress can be managed through exercise (even just a daily walk), by spending more time outdoors in general, yoga and meditation. Smokers can try to curb their habit or start by cutting back. Troubled families or relationships can seek counsel. Make a conscious effort to cut back on caffeine (but you don’t have to fully eliminate your fix!) by increasing your water intake, and try to get eight hours of sleep a night.

Parents of young children can get their kids into a healthy rhythm by drastically reducing or watching sugar intake, encouraging their child to eat more natural yoghurt, fruits and veggies and to live an active lifestyle. It’s also good to be wary of how much screen time they may be getting and to regularly get some fresh air.

For adults who live with some serious symptoms of dysbiosis, there is a treatment known as a poo transplant! Ok, so the medical name is faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT).

The procedure treats a variety of health problems including C.difficile, IBD and diabetes. The ‘healthy’ poo is taken from a donor and transferred into the gastrointestinal tract of an unwell person using a colonoscopy procedure.

The transplant is being seen as superior to the use of antibiotics, prebiotics and probiotics for improving gut health, thanks to the friendly strains of bacteria in the poo!

The take-home message

The gut microbiome is key in our digestion, metabolism, immune system and even our mental health. Developing in early life, the bugs in the gut are influenced by genetics, early childhood, stress and diet. Eating a diet rich in fibre and pre and probiotic foods can promote healthy bacteria.

Everyone’s gut is unique but it’s important that everyone’s gut functions at its best!

---