Gut Microbiome

Gut microbiome, what is it? And how is it influenced by food? The gut microbiome is located in your large intestines, stomach, and small intestines.The gut microbiome is a combination of thousands of bacteria, and some viruses, fungi, and parasites. This is important as this diversity is what increases the chance of fighting off pathogens and decreases sensitivity to big changes in one's diet. When in relation to diet and health “[g]ut microbial composition and function can respond directly to diet, and in turn gut microbes can directly affect health. However, the gut microbiome can also affect health by modulating the effects of diet, not necessarily with a corresponding change in the composition of the microbiome itself.” (Hughes, R., et al., 2023)

The gut microbiome is diverse with thousands of bacterias, and some viruses, fungi, and parasites. This diversity is important for a stronger immune system as the gut microbiome has been shown to increase immunity and help stimulate development of the immune system. The diversity is also important for maintaining the integrity of the mucosal barrier and providing nutrients such as vitamins. “[] vitamins, which gut microbiota have been shown to synthesise in humans, include vitamin K, riboflavin, biotin, nicotinic acid, panthotenic acid, pyridoxine and thiamine” (Thursby, E. and Juge, N., 2017).

The gut microbiome has multiple influences on health. We know this because, “[] differences in gut microbiome composition or function have been linked to differences in human health outcomes and disease states, such as glycemic response, cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, and immune system complications ranging from allergy to rheumatoid arthritis.” (Hughes, R., et al., 2023) This is a lot to take in so let's look at the evidence. “Approximately 20% of all cancer cases in the globe are thought to be linked to the gut microbiota. Studies shows that F. nucleatum subdue host immune response and triggers cellular proliferation. Butyrate is important nutrient for healthy colon. Genera which produce Butyrate were almost absent in colorectal cancer (CRC) patient's stool.” (Madhogaria, B. et al, 2022) Though there is still research to be done, the evidence showing a connection between the gut microbiome and various diseases whether bad or good, is strong.

How can we improve our gut microbiome? We can improve our gut microbiome through our diet because “[d]iet can be a dominant influence on gut microbiome composition and function in certain contexts and populations such as in infants, hunter-gatherer populations, non-human primates, and in lab mice with highly controlled diets. However, in most healthy human adult populations eating a westernized diet (i.e., highly varied and not subject to seasonal cycling of food availability), dietary differences seem to have only modest effects on the gut microbiome.” (Hughes, R., et al., 2023). However, it was discovered that the diversity in the gut microbiome increases by eating fruit, vegetables, and drinking coffee and red wine. However, it is important to note that drinking wine will have other negative effects due to the alcohol content. It was also discovered that tea and breakfast also increased diversity but less compared to the other factors. Along with the positive influences on diversity there are some negative. “A metagenomic analysis was conducted of 1135 participants from a Dutch population using deep sequencing. The sequencing data enabled the detection of associations in microbiota with 126 different environmental factors including diet, disease, and medication use. Higher intakes of total carbohydrates were most strongly associated with decreased microbiome diversity: bifidobacteria increased while Lactobacillus, Streptococcus, and Roseburia genera decreased.” (Hills, R., et al., 2019)

In conclusion, the gut microbiome plays a critical role in maintaining health and immunity, with its composition deeply influenced by diet. The diverse community of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites in the gut not only supports immune function but also helps synthesize essential vitamins and maintains the integrity of the mucosal barrier. The relationship between the gut microbiome and health outcomes, such as cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, and immune system disorders, underscores its significant impact on overall well-being. While diet alone may not dramatically alter the microbiome in adults consuming a Western diet, evidence suggests that incorporating foods like fruits, vegetables, coffee, and red wine can enhance microbiome diversity. However, caution is warranted, as excessive carbohydrate intake can have the opposite effect, decreasing diversity and altering microbiome composition. Overall, understanding and optimizing the gut microbiome through diet holds promise for improving health outcomes and fostering a more resilient immune system.

References

Addae, H. Y., Apprey, C., & Kwarteng, A. (2024, February 14). Gut microbiome-targeted nutrition interventions and growth among children in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Current developments in nutrition. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10918490/

Hills, R. D., Pontefract, B. A., Mishcon, H. R., Black, C. A., Sutton, S. C., & Theberge, C. R. (2019, July 16). Gut microbiome: Profound implications for diet and disease. Nutrients. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6682904/

Hughes, R. L., Frankenfeld, C. L., Gohl, D. M., Huttenhower, C., Jackson, S. A., Vandeputte, D., Vogtmann, E., Comstock, S. S., & Kable, M. E. (2023, May 24). Methods in nutrition & gut microbiome research: An american society for nutrition satellite session [13 October 2022]. Nutrients. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10255073/

​​Madhogaria, B., Bhowmik, P., & Kundu, A. (2022, August 24). Correlation between human gut microbiome and diseases. Infectious medicine. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10699709/#sec0015

Olvera-Rosales, L.-B., Cruz-Guerrero, A.-E., Ramírez-Moreno, E., Quintero-Lira, A., Contreras-López, E., Jaimez-Ordaz, J., Castañeda-Ovando, A., Añorve-Morga, J., Calderón-Ramos, Z.-G., Arias-Rico, J., & González-Olivares, L.-G. (2021, June 2). Impact of the gut microbiota balance on the health-disease relationship: The importance of consuming probiotics and prebiotics. Foods (Basel, Switzerland). https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8230287/

Thursby, E., & Juge, N. (2017, May 16). Introduction to the human gut microbiota. The Biochemical journal.https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5433529/

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