Why is Healthy Gut Flora So Important?

Gut flora refers to the billions of microorganisms living in your gastrointestinal tract (GIT) — the long tube of mucous membrane and muscle running from your mouth to your anus which is involved in digestion and the assimilation of nutrients from food.

You may be surprised to learn that there are over 1000 different species of bacteria living in your GIT which, in a healthy individual, exist in a mutually beneficial symbiotic relationship. Their numbers amount to 10 times the number of cells in the human body and together weigh an estimated 1-1.5kg!

For the sake of this post, we will concentrate on the bacteria found in the large intestine (colon) where the highest concentrations are found. Some of these species are health promoting, while others are potentially harmful, which really isn’t an issue is as long as they are living in harmony with each other.

You see bacteria are not unlike you or me. They like to find a nice spot to set up house; in a quiet area with nice neighbours they can get along with. Specifically, somewhere with plenty of natural resources to feed off and a stable pH. Given all this they flourish.

When our gastrointestinal microflora flourish in harmony, we benefit. They:

• modulate our immune system
• support intestinal transit and gastric emptying
• improve digestion and nutrient absorption providing 10% of our daily energy needs
• produce Vitamin K and other B-group vitamins,
• are necessary for the absorption and proper functioning of phytoestrogens, lignans and flavonoids,
• help protect against gastrointestinal colonisation of potentially harmful bacteria
• produce short chain fatty acids (SCFA’s) which maintain healthy colonic pH/ protect against leaky gut/ decrease inflammation/ have cancer prevention qualities
• produce polyamines which participate in numerous important cellular processes
• play an important role in weight management.

Essentially we need these bacteria to live in our intestinal tract so we can maintain health and function as humans. But it is not a one-sided relationship. These health promoting bacteria require us humans to cooperate and support them. It takes two to tango as they say, and if you want to tango well, then you need both sides to step-up.

I am sure you have heard that saying, ‘you are what you eat’. Well really you are what you eat and also how you live.

It is at this point, that I would like to introduce you to the term dysbiosis, it is a name we use when the healthy balance between health promoting and potentially harmful bacteria in your intestinal tract has been lost. Just imagine how your health promoting bacteria feel; they set up home in a great neighbourhood; fantastic neighbours, the family is growing, life is good. Then potentially harmful bacteria start moving in to the neighbourhood growing rapidly in numbers; the pH changes, the food supply is poor, there is inflammation everywhere bringing with it disease, and pretty soon their family starts dying off. This is when you start feeling signs and symptoms related to dysbiosis which include abdominal pain, bloating, excessive flatulence, constipation, diarrhoea, IBS, joint pain and fatigue. Eventually this can lead to other inflammatory and autoimmune conditions such as leaky gut, arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrome, foggy brain, poor concentration, and food and environmental intolerances, to name a few.

So what causes dysbiosis? Well there is not one factor but rather a combination which, given enough time, research tells us will lead to dysbiosis. These include:

• antibiotics, which have the greatest detrimental effect

• chemotherapy

• stress

• born via C-section as opposed to vaginal delivery

• predominately formula-fed as an infant

• diet high in sulphates and sulphites (added to dried fruits, fermented alcohol, white bread, dehydrated vegetables, packaged fruit juices, junk food, baked goods, salad bar salads, frozen shellfish – acts as a preservative)

• high dietary intake of animal proteins, saturated fats, refined carbohydrates and artificial sweeteners.

The good news is that dysbiosis, once recognised is very treatable. Yes you will have to make lifestyle and dietary changes and depending on the how long the dysbiosis has been in place, treatment could take many months (you can’t just take a pill and expect it all to be resolved). But you can restore your intestinal flora to a state of harmony or balance which supports overall health and wellbeing.

Make kind and loving choices with how you live your life and fuel your body because this provides your body with what it needs to keep you healthy and firing on all cylinders.

Further reading

• Hawrelak JA. 2000. The Gastrointestinal Tract Microflora and its Role in Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Honours Thesis. Southern Cross University. Lismore.
• Jernberg C, Lofmark S, Edlund C, Jansson JK. Long-term impacts of antibiotic exposure on the human intestinal microbiota. Microbiology. 2010; 156: 3216-3223.
• Macfarlane, G.T. and S.Macfarlane (2012). “Bacteria, Colonic Fermentation and Gastrointestinal Health.” Journal of AOAC International 95(1): 50-60.
• Hawrelak, J.A. Myers, S.P. 2004. The causes of intestinal dysbiosis: a review. Altern Med Rev, 9, 180-97. PMID 15253677.
• Magee, E.A., C.J.Richardson, et al. (2000). “Contribution of dietary protein to sulphide production in the large intestine: an in vitro and a controlled feeding study in humans. “The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 72 (6): 1488-1494.
• Coni, P.D. & Delzenne, N.M. 2009. Interplay between obesity and associated metabolic disorders; new insights into the gut microbiota. Current Opinion in Pharmacology, 9, 737-743, PMID.
• Colter, P.D., C.Stanton, et al. (2012). “The impact of antibiotics on the gut microbiota as revealed by high throughput DNA sequencing.” Discover Med 13(70): 193-199.
• Grolund MM, Lehtonen OP, Eerola E, Kero P. 1999. Faecal Microflora in Healthy Infants Born by Different Methods of Delivery: Permanent Changes in Intestinal Flora after Caesarean Delivery. Journal of Paediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition. 28(1): 19-25.
• Williams, B.L., M Hornig, et al. (2011). ‘’Impaired Carbohydrate Digestion and Transport and Mucosal Dysbiosis in the Intestines of Children with Autism and Gastrointestinal Disturbances.” PLOS One. 6(9): e24585.