Gut Microbiome
The Human gastrointestinal tract, is one of the largest and most important organs for humans. In the average life time, over 60 tonnes of food pass through the GI tract, along with an abundance of microorganisms which might help or hinder our gut and health.
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The gut microbiota is composed of bacteria (over 800 different species), archaea and eukarya that have colonized the GI tract and has coevolved with humans over thousands of years. The microbiota is so abundant that there is 10 times more bacteria than human celss and over 100 times more amount of genetic information than human genome. The microbiota is now being considered as a organ.
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Some of the important functions of the microbiota are, and not limited to : metabolism, digestion and absorption, regulating the intestinal lining, producing vitamins, immune regulation, inflammatory or anti inflammatory system, production of brain chemicals such as serotonin and direct connection with brain through the gut brain axis.
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Understanding who lives in your gut is key to understanding your health. Problems such as IBS, leaky gut, anxiety, depression, sleep disorders, autoimmune disorders and even conditions such as multiple sclerosis and autism has been linked to microbiome dysbiosis by new research performed by scientists and doctors.