Role of the gut microbiome
Ever wonder what your gut microbiome does for you? Read on!
As we mentioned before, our microbial passengers play a critical role in the proper function of the mucosal immune system. By constantly challenging the mucosal immune system, the microbiome keeps it alert and functioning. The importance of our microbial passengers is such that not having them can cause a lack of tolerance to the good bacteria and harmless food antigens. Seems like a good reason to keep those microbes happy!
In addition, our gut microbes are critical for digestion of otherwise undigestible fibre, which also feeds into the function of the mucosal immune system. Complex plant polysaccharides are fermented by gut microbes to form short-chain fatty acids, which act as signals to keep the epithelial barrier whole, or reduce inflammation, and as yet undiscovered roles in immune responses
In some cases, humans have, within their gut bacteria, the one rare species that can digest a specific type of fibre. We also have our microbiome to thank for synthesizing a variety of vitamins, including K, riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3) and several other B-vitamins. They also digest polyphenols to create metabolites with antioxidant and anticancer properties.
So, the next time you gut talks to you, remember that it’s home to millions of helpful microbes, happily munching on the food you cannot digest, and providing us with protection, energy, and nutrients!
Fascinated or perplexed? Stay tuned for more #sciencefacts by #SmartHerbals.
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sources: Bischoff, SC. (2011) BMC Medicine 9: 24. Kau et al. (2011) Nature 474: 327–336.
Bonus content
Who needs a super soldier serum? Humans are a superorganism already!
The increasing realisation of our symbiotic existence with our microbiome has prompted descriptions of the human body as a superorganism. Thanks to its sheer size and diversity, our gut microbiomes have 150 times more gene-coding capacity than we do. It’s no surprise then, that we rely on their varied abilities to digest food we cannot.
