<\/p>\n
<\/a>Gut Microbiome – What Is It?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\nThe collection of microbes<\/strong> (bacteria, fungi, viruses) living in our gut is called <\/strong>\u2018gut microbiota<\/strong>\u2019 or <\/strong>\u2018gut microbiome<\/strong>\u2019 [R<\/a>].<\/p>\nOur gut is inhabited by 1013<\/sup> – 1014<\/sup> (ten to hundred trillion) bacteria [R<\/a>, R<\/a>].<\/p>\nIn fact, there are likely more bacterial cells than human cells in and on the human body<\/strong>.<\/p>\nPreviously, it was thought that there were ten times more microbes in the body than human cells. Newer estimates suggest the relationship is closer to 1:1 [R<\/a>, R<\/a>].<\/p>\nThe human adult gut contains 0.2 – 1 kg of bacteria [R<\/a>, R<\/a>].<\/p>\nGut microbes play many beneficial roles in our bodies. They:<\/p>\n
\n- help harvest more energy from food [R<\/a>].<\/li>\n
- provide nutrients such as vitamins B and K [R<\/a>, R<\/a>].<\/li>\n
- strengthen the gut barrier [R<\/a>].<\/li>\n
- strengthen the immune system [R<\/a>].<\/li>\n
- protect from harmful and opportunistic microbes [R<\/a>, R<\/a>].<\/li>\n
- process bile<\/a> acids [R<\/a>].<\/li>\n
- degrade toxins and cancer-causing chemicals [R<\/a>].<\/li>\n
- are essential for the normal functioning of organs other than the gut, especially the brain, because they impact our mood and cognitive ability [R<\/a>].<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
An imbalanced microbiota makes us more susceptible to infections, immune disorders, and inflammation [R<\/a>].<\/p>\nTherefore, improving gut microbiota is a promising approach to combat a number of widespread diseases and disorders [R<\/a>].<\/p>\nFor ways to improve your gut bacteria check: Gut Microbiome: 15 Factors that can Improve or Worsen It<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>Composition<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n![](\"https:\/\/selfhacked.com\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2018\/02\/word-image.jpeg\")
<\/strong><\/p>\nSource: https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC5412925\/<\/a><\/p>\nHumans harbor over 2,000 species of bacteria [R<\/a>].<\/p>\nMost of the gut bacteria (80-90%) belong to two groups: Firmicutes <\/em>and Bacteroidetes <\/em>[R<\/a>].<\/p>\nIn the small intestine, the transit time is short and there are usually high levels of acids, oxygen, and antimicrobial agents. These all limit bacterial growth. Only fast-growing bacteria resistant to oxygen and able to strongly adhere to gut walls\/mucus are able to survive [R<\/a>].<\/p>\nIn contrast, the colon has a dense and diverse community of bacteria. These use complex carbohydrates that are not digested in the small intestine [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n<\/a>Development and Aging<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n![](\"https:\/\/selfhacked.com\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2018\/02\/word-image-1.jpeg\")
<\/strong><\/p>\nSource: https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC4785905\/<\/a><\/p>\nIt was long thought that gut microbiota is established after birth. However, some research indicates that placenta may also have its own unique microbiome. Therefore, humans may be first colonized as fetuses [R<\/a>].<\/p>\nAt birth, the gut is colonized with microbes from both the mother and the environment. By the time humans reach one year of age, each individual develops a unique bacterial profile<\/strong> [R<\/a>].<\/p>\nThe adult-like structure of the gut microbiota occurs after the 3rd year of life [R<\/a>].<\/p>\nHowever, in response to hormones in puberty, the gut microbiota undergoes changes once again<\/strong>. This results in differences between males and females [R<\/a>].<\/p>\nIn adulthood, the composition of the gut microbiota is relatively stable. However, it can still be perturbed by life events [R<\/a>].<\/p>\nIn people over the age of 65, the microbial community shifts<\/strong> again<\/strong>, with an increase of Bacteroidetes<\/em>. Overall, bacterial metabolic processes, such as short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production, are reduced, while the breakdown of proteins is increased [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n<\/a>Emerging Research<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\nScience is only beginning to understand the many roles gut microbes play in our bodies. In fact, studies about gut bacteria are growing exponentially, and most of the research is recent.<\/p>\n
There are a lot of questions that remain unanswered. However, we can look forward to a lot of new exciting breakthroughs in the years to come.<\/p>\n
![](\"https:\/\/selfhacked.com\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2018\/02\/word-image-2.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n
The number of studies related to \u2018Gut Microbiota\u2019, according to NCBI (https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pubmed<\/a>).<\/p>\n<\/a>Roles in Human Health<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<\/a>1) Vitamin Production<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\nThe gut bacteria produce vitamins<\/strong>, some of which human cells are incapable of producing [R<\/a>, R<\/a>]:<\/p>\n\n- vitamin B12<\/a><\/li>\n
- folate\/vitamin B9<\/a><\/li>\n
- vitamin K<\/li>\n
- riboflavin<\/a>\/vitamin B2<\/a><\/li>\n
- biotin<\/a>\/vitamin B7<\/li>\n
- nicotinic acid<\/a>\/vitamin B3<\/a><\/li>\n
- pantothenic acid\/vitamin B5<\/a><\/li>\n
- pyridoxine\/vitamin B6<\/a><\/li>\n
- thiamine<\/a>\/vitamin <\/a>B1<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
<\/a>2) SCFA Production<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\nSome gut bacteria produce short-chain fatty acids <\/strong>(SCFAs<\/strong>). These include butyrate<\/strong><\/a>, propionate<\/strong>, and acetate <\/strong>[R<\/a>].<\/p>\nThese SCFAs are believed to have many important functions in the body:<\/p>\n
\n- They provide about 10% of the daily caloric requirement [R<\/a>].<\/li>\n
- They activate AMPK<\/a> and stimulate weight loss<\/a> [R<\/a>].<\/li>\n
- Propionate decreases fat build-up in the liver, lowers blood cholesterol<\/a>, and increases the feeling of satiety [R<\/a>].<\/li>\n
- Acetate decreases appetite [R<\/a>].<\/li>\n
- Butyrate decreases inflammation and is inversely related to cancer [R<\/a>].<\/li>\n
- Acetate and propionate increase Treg<\/a> cells [R<\/a>], which curb excessive immune responses.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Diets with more fiber and less meat result in higher amounts of SCFAs [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n
Our gut is inhabited by 1013<\/sup> – 1014<\/sup> (ten to hundred trillion) bacteria [R<\/a>, R<\/a>].<\/p>\n In fact, there are likely more bacterial cells than human cells in and on the human body<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Previously, it was thought that there were ten times more microbes in the body than human cells. Newer estimates suggest the relationship is closer to 1:1 [R<\/a>, R<\/a>].<\/p>\n The human adult gut contains 0.2 – 1 kg of bacteria [R<\/a>, R<\/a>].<\/p>\n Gut microbes play many beneficial roles in our bodies. They:<\/p>\n An imbalanced microbiota makes us more susceptible to infections, immune disorders, and inflammation [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n Therefore, improving gut microbiota is a promising approach to combat a number of widespread diseases and disorders [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n For ways to improve your gut bacteria check: Gut Microbiome: 15 Factors that can Improve or Worsen It<\/a><\/p>\n Source: https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC5412925\/<\/a><\/p>\n Humans harbor over 2,000 species of bacteria [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n Most of the gut bacteria (80-90%) belong to two groups: Firmicutes <\/em>and Bacteroidetes <\/em>[R<\/a>].<\/p>\n In the small intestine, the transit time is short and there are usually high levels of acids, oxygen, and antimicrobial agents. These all limit bacterial growth. Only fast-growing bacteria resistant to oxygen and able to strongly adhere to gut walls\/mucus are able to survive [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n In contrast, the colon has a dense and diverse community of bacteria. These use complex carbohydrates that are not digested in the small intestine [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n Source: https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC4785905\/<\/a><\/p>\n It was long thought that gut microbiota is established after birth. However, some research indicates that placenta may also have its own unique microbiome. Therefore, humans may be first colonized as fetuses [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n At birth, the gut is colonized with microbes from both the mother and the environment. By the time humans reach one year of age, each individual develops a unique bacterial profile<\/strong> [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n The adult-like structure of the gut microbiota occurs after the 3rd year of life [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n However, in response to hormones in puberty, the gut microbiota undergoes changes once again<\/strong>. This results in differences between males and females [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n In adulthood, the composition of the gut microbiota is relatively stable. However, it can still be perturbed by life events [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n In people over the age of 65, the microbial community shifts<\/strong> again<\/strong>, with an increase of Bacteroidetes<\/em>. Overall, bacterial metabolic processes, such as short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production, are reduced, while the breakdown of proteins is increased [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n Science is only beginning to understand the many roles gut microbes play in our bodies. In fact, studies about gut bacteria are growing exponentially, and most of the research is recent.<\/p>\n There are a lot of questions that remain unanswered. However, we can look forward to a lot of new exciting breakthroughs in the years to come.<\/p>\n The number of studies related to \u2018Gut Microbiota\u2019, according to NCBI (https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pubmed<\/a>).<\/p>\n The gut bacteria produce vitamins<\/strong>, some of which human cells are incapable of producing [R<\/a>, R<\/a>]:<\/p>\n Some gut bacteria produce short-chain fatty acids <\/strong>(SCFAs<\/strong>). These include butyrate<\/strong><\/a>, propionate<\/strong>, and acetate <\/strong>[R<\/a>].<\/p>\n These SCFAs are believed to have many important functions in the body:<\/p>\n Diets with more fiber and less meat result in higher amounts of SCFAs [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n\n
<\/a>Composition<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/a>Development and Aging<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/a>Emerging Research<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
<\/p>\n<\/a>Roles in Human Health<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
<\/a>1) Vitamin Production<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
\n
<\/a>2) SCFA Production<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
\n