Inside your body, there are trillions of viruses, fungi, and bacteria known as the microbiome. The majority live inside your intestines and on your skin. Out of all the microbiome, bacteria are the most studied. Although some bacteria are associated with diseases, others are crucial for many elements of good health. Let us take a closer look at why we have gut bacteria.
A Brief Overview of the Importance of Gut Bacteria
From the moment you are born, bacteria affect your body in many ways. For example, bifidobacteria are bacteria that grow inside babies' intestines. They help to digest the healthy sugars in breast milk, which is essential for growth. During and after childhood, bacteria play a role in keeping you healthy. Some bacteria digest fiber, which is important for good gut health. Also, bacteria help to control your immune system.
Gut Bacteria Can Help Diabetes and Obesity
Different gut bacteria have different roles. The bacteria called akkermansia muciniphila is a type of outer-membrane bacteria that makes up around 3 - 5% of the bacteria in the human gut microbiome. Akkermansia muciniphila helps maintain a healthy gut lining, and it plays an important role in protecting you against conditions like obesity and type 2 diabetes. It helps the latter because it contributes toward controlling your blood sugar level. Obesity can be a contributing factor in getting type 2 diabetes. Also, an imbalance of healthy and unhealthy microbes, called gut dysbiosis, can contribute to putting on excessive weight.
Gut Bacteria Can Affect Gut Health
Because microbiome can affect your gut health, gut bacteria play an important role in intestinal diseases such as IBD and IBS. For instance, irritable bowel syndrome symptoms like cramps and abdominal pains could be due to gut dysbiosis. However, on the flip side, healthy gut bacteria can improve your gut health.
Gut Bacteria Can Affect Heart Health
Even though gut bacteria are located in the gut, they could benefit your heart health. According to a study published by the National Library of Medicine, the gut microbiome plays an essential role in promoting good HDL cholesterol and triglycerides. On the other hand, unhealthy gut bacteria could contribute to heart disease due to producing the chemical TMAO, which contributes to blocked arteries that can lead to health problems like strokes and heart attacks.
Gut Bacteria Could Affect Brain Health
Gut bacteria could benefit your brain, as well. Specific species of bacteria help produce neurotransmitter chemicals in the brain, such as serotonin, which is used as an antidepressant and is made in the gut. Also, your gut is physically connected to your brain via millions of nerves, so gut bacteria may affect brain health by controlling the messages sent to the brain through those nerves.
How can you improve your gut bacteria?
As we have seen, gut bacteria can be both good and bad. When you have healthy gut bacteria, it could benefit your health in various ways. The best method to improve your gut bacteria is to change your dietary habits, such as:
- Eating a diverse range of foods, because the more species of gut bacteria you have, the greater number of health benefits they can contribute.
- Eating more fruits and vegetables, because they are the best sources of nutrients for a healthy microbiota.
- Avoiding eating artificial sweeteners, because some studies show they can negatively affect gut bacteria, such as increasing blood sugar and impairing insulin response.
