What is the Gut Microbiota?

It is the community of microorganisms that live in our gut. Approximately 100 trillion micro-organisms, mostly bacteria, but also viruses, fungi and protozoa inhabit our gastrointestinal tract.

The Microbiota diversity is a measure of how many different species and how evenly distributed they are in the community. A low diversity of microbiota is considered a marker of dysbiosis (imbalance) and is linked to an impairment of the Gastrointestinal barrier which can then increase an individual's risk of developing inflammatory, infectious and functional gut disorders such as IBS.

Having a balanced gut microbiome is essential for:

• Digestion and absorption of food

• Regulating the immune system- certain microbes promote the accumulation of immune cells which contribute to anti-inflammatory responses

• The Gut-Brain Axis- communication system that integrates neural, hormonal and immunological signalling between the gut and the brain

• Nutrient production

The gut microbiota in humans evolve throughout life and appears to play a key role in both health and disease.

The Role of the Gut Microbiota in Health and Disease

There are many companies on the internet offering ‘Gut Testing’, however current literature has not yet defined what a healthy gut microbiota looks like and what concentrations of bacteria are optimal.

Medication and diet can have a large influence on the gut microbiota composition - see future blogs for more information on this subject and how you can improve your gut microbiota.

I work with clients 1.1 to help to improve their gut health - a gut foundation for whole body wellness.

Reference: BMJ 2018;361:k2179