The importance of gut bacteria

The good bacteria we can’t live without

Good health starts in the gut

80% of your immune defense is located in your gut. A well-functioning immune system relies on having enough good bacteria in the body and a balanced microbiota. The good bacteria in your body prepare your immune system to combat unwelcome invaders like bad bacteria and toxins. In order to maintain a healthy balance, good bacteria must outnumber bad bacteria twenty to one.

An imbalance in the digestive system may occur if, for whatever reason, bad bacteria exceed the amount normally present. This is known as dysbiosis. Symptoms of dysbiosis include diarrhea, constipation, bloating, temporary stomach pain, and a leaky gut.

New research suggests there might be a strong link between an unbalanced microbiota and diabetes, obesity, and heart disease. In fact, studies indicate that improving microbiota health can even prevent these conditions.

 

The impact of modern lifestyle on health

In the last 50 years, the way we live has changed dramatically. Modern lifestyle, increased urbanization and our altered eating habits have resulted in a microbial imbalance.

• Using antibiotics and other drugs – antibiotics kill both pathogens and good bacteria.
• The excessive use of germ-killing detergents, sanitizers and soaps depletes our microbiota.
• C-section birth – babies are not exposed to the beneficial bacteria that are present in their mother’s birth canal when born by Caesarean section.
• Fast food, processed food, coffee, and alcohol are all detrimental to our gut bacteria. Our gut bacteria feed on fibre, which is found in fruits and vegetables.
• Sleep deprivation and stress are both linked to changes in microbial composition and reductions in microbial diversity.
• While exercising regularly at the gym is beneficial for your general well-being, many professional athletes often exercise at a level that damages their microbiota and puts their immune system under stress, making them more susceptible to infection.

 

The gatekeepers in your gut

Your gastrointestinal tract is lined with epithelial cells that function like a skin on the inside. Its main function is to determine what should be absorbed and what should not be absorbed into your body. This is assisted by gatekeepers, known as tight junctions. Your digestive system uses them to allow nutrients, vitamins, and water through and prevent things like toxins and pathogens from getting through.

A well-balanced microbiota contributes to making the epithelium stronger, tighter, and more efficient. A gut imbalance, on the other hand, damages epithelium cells, resulting in a leaky gut. A leaky gut occurs when the gatekeepers – or tight junctions – allow substances to move from the GI tract into your body and into the bloodstream. Inflammation, allergy, intolerance, and digestive problems such as IBS are just a few of the conditions that a leaky gut may result in.

Good bacteria

Good bacteria can be found in food. Before refrigerators and freezers, people used bacteria in fermentation to extend the shelf life of food. Fermented foods include yoghurt, sauerkraut, and pickled vegetables. Common lactic acid bacteria used for fermentation are Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus.

Probiotics are live bacteria that restore the microbial balance in the body and there by benefit our health. In most cases, they are consumed as food supplements. Examples of common probiotic strains are Limosilactobacillus reuteri Protectis, Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG and Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. lactis BB-12.

Bad bacteria

Only a small percentage of bacteria on earth are pathogenic, meaning they may cause disease. For example, food poisoning may be caused by E. coli and Salmonella, sepsis may be caused by S. aureus, and S. pneumoniae may lead to pneumonia.

It’s important to remember that bacteria of the same species, but of different strains, can behave very differently. Some species, like E. coli, harbor strains that are pathogenic, like EHEC and ETEC, which can cause severe diarrhea. On the other hand, some strains of E. coli are commensals and are among the most prevalent bacteria in our digestive tract.