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When someone talks about “the microbiome,” they’re likely referring to the microorganisms that live in our gut. In fact, the human body is home to a number of different microbiomes. We find unique and important colonies in places like the mouth, vagina, skin, and lungs. In pregnant women, even the placenta has its own microbiome, expanding our understanding of how an infant’s microbiomes are formed. The gut microbiome — the most “popular” biome of the moment — is a complex ecosystem of bacteria and fungi. Some of these microorganisms are critical for our health and survival, while others are pathogenic and cause issues. Others are helpful in certain quantities but are opportunistic little buggers that can become pathogenic when given the chance to take hold. I’m looking at you, Candida. In order to keep the bad bacteria in the microbiome from developing into a disease or two, a balance must be established in your gut. Research on the human microbiome's pathogens can help us understand what causes a disturbance within the digestive system.
So, how can bacteria be helpful to the microbiome? You may have heard about Lactobacillus or Bifidobacterium, as they’re the most commonly added strains in commercial yogurt. Turns out, that’s for a good reason. As part of the Firmicutes and Actinobacteria families, these two strains are heavy hitters that have very important jobs. Lactobacillus is anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic. It also inhibits pathogenic bacteria by producing anti-microbial substances, while Bifidobacterium helps to improve the gut mucosal barrier (goodbye, leaky gut!) and increases anti-inflammatory processes.
What is leaky gut? This digestive condition is also called increased intestinal permeability and it allows toxins to leak into the body through a weakened intestinal wall. When we see a low level of Lactobacillus or Bifidobacterium in a report, there’s a good chance the person has some systemic inflammation going on. A low number of these strains also indicates low diversity in the gut, a significant finding, as a high level of diversity generally equates to better health. In healthy guts, we also see a positive correlation between higher levels of Bacteroidetes in relation to lower levels of Firmicutes.
High amounts of Firmicutes indicates obesity, while decreased levels of Bacteroidetes are associated with irritable bowel disease. When Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes are challenged with antibiotics, the pathogen C. diff (a strain of Firmicutes) can take hold causing severe diarrhea and abdominal pain. Increased levels of C. diff also increase the risk of IBS and colorectal cancer. Interestingly, Lactobacillus is also a strain of Firmicutes, which illustrates how “good” and “bad” can exist within the same phylum. It really is all about balance. One of the biggest red flags we see is a high level of Proteobacteria, including strains like E. coli. Elevated Proteobacteria levels are a sign of imbalance and a marker for gut dysbiosis and potential disease. Unfortunately, we see a large number of people with high levels of Proteobacteria.
How Do You Know if Your Gut Is Normal?
Doing the BIOHM Gut Report helps in figuring out the microbial makeup of your gut. But you'll still figure out if something's wrong with your digestive system by a general ill feeling. Even without getting your microbiome mapped, your body speaks to you in the language of symptoms, so tuning in to what it’s saying can give you clues to whether or not your gut bugs are living in harmony. If you’re dealing with any type of regularly occurring abdominal discomfort, diarrhea, constipation, or smelly gas, that’s a warning sign that something is off. In a healthy gut, these things should happen infrequently.
Carrying excess weight, surgery, and pregnancy can also all mess with your microbiome, as can stress and lack of regular exercise. Your glucose levels, lactose tolerance, and cholesterol level affect the function of your gut microbes. What you eat obviously plays a big role, too. Eating a traditional Western diet high in processed carbs and sugar and low in good fats and fiber contributes to an imbalance and paves the way for pathogenic strains to take hold.
The good news is the fungal and bacterial species in our digestive system can be influenced to function better. Yet this can only happen if you are willing to change your lifestyle, diet, and exercise regime. Overall, there are some general guidelines that nearly everyone can benefit from. To balance your gut microbiome:
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