One in five Dutch people have chronic intestinal complaints. These can range from abdominal pain, abdominal cramps, bloating, constipation or diarrhea
Intestinal problems are often the result of interrelated neurological, hormonal and immunological disorders. Stress can play an important role in this process. Stress is linked to disrupted gut flora, food intolerances and immunological, neurological and hormonal disorders, via the microbiome-gut-brain axis, the connection between the gut, gut flora and brain.
A disruption of the microbiome-gut-brain axis can begin both in the gut itself and in the brain, forming a self-perpetuating vicious cycle. Currently, research on the human microbiome is one of the areas of research in medical science.
Intestinal microbiome
The term gut microbiome refers to the total population of bacteria present in the gut. Large groups of bacteria live in our bodies, doing all kinds of useful (and sometimes less useful or even harmful) work. The microscopic colonists are really everywhere: on your skin, in your lungs, in your genitals. And by far most of them are in our intestines.
So the microbiome is the complete collection of microorganisms that live on and in the body plus the genetic material they carry.
Gut bacteria help digest and break down nutrients. They convert nutrients into bioactive substances or breakdown products, they produce antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal substances and keep potentially pathogenic microorganisms such as fungi, bacteria and viruses under control. Furthermore, they cause toxins to be broken down and inactivated by certain bacteria. Intestinal bacteria also regulate peristalsis, or bowel movements, in part by producing serotonin. When the balance in the gut is disturbed, nutrients are not properly broken down, pathogenic microorganisms are not efficiently removed, toxins are produced that damage the intestinal mucosa, and the inflammatory and immune response in the gut is impaired. (Rodes L, 2013)
Consequences of a disrupted gut microbiome
- Food intolerance or allergy
- Poor digestion, lack of digestive enzymes, undigested carbohydrates in the intestines
- Viral, bacterial or parasitic intestinal infections
- Fungal infections
- Increased immune response in the gut
- Chronic low-grade inflammation in the intestines
- Bacterial overgrowth
- Impaired intestinal peristalsis
- Increased serotonin activity
- Impaired communication microbiome-gut-brain axis
- Hormonal disorders
- Impaired stress response
- Psychological complaints, anxiety, depression
Disrupted microbiome-gut-brain axis
The gut microbiome communicates with the brain in several ways, including through stimulation of the vagus nerve and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, through the production of neurotransmitters, hormones and neuroactive substances, and through the immune system. This is called the gut-brain connection or the microbiome-gut-brain axis.
The gut wall has its own nervous system. The gut produces measure than 30 neurotransmitters that communicate with the brain and the rest of the body, including serotonin, dopamine, GABA, norepinephrine and acetylcholine (Furness JB, 2014). Gut nerve cells are stimulated by (nutrients, microorganisms and substances produced by microorganisms) present in the gut. They transmit these stimuli to the brain. Via the vagus nerve and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, these nerve impulses influence the nervous, hormonal and immune systems. The bacteria present in the gut affect all neurological, hormonal and immunological signals going from the gut to the nervous system. (Liu RT, 2017;Rea K, 2017).
How do I feed my gut bacteria?
Eat more Microbiota Accessible Carbohydrates (MACs) throughout the day. MACs are carbohydrates that are resistant to digestion by a host’s metabolism, and are made available to gut microbes as prebiotics to ferment or metabolize into useful compounds. MACs are found in soluble fiber in many fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains, including oats and barley. “It is crucial that we consume a wide range of MACs to nourish our own microbiota, Our microbiome can ferment substances that are important for the intestinal mucosa, as well as the immune, cardiovascular, nervous and endocrine systems, with an optimal amount of MACs. With a lack of MACs in the diet, gut bacteria eat the MACs contained in the protective intestinal mucosa which causes our intestinal lining to become porous. A MAC-rich diet with a diverse range of carbohydrates from vegetables, fruits, legumes and grains helps to increase the number of microbes to create a diverse and stable bacterial community. Which can provide good protection against invading pathogens and foreign substances. Based on dietary guidelines, the authors of the book “The Brain in Your Gut” recommend consuming about 33 to 39 grams of dietary fiber from various sources daily. In an appendix to the book, you will find advice for a more personalized amount of fiber, based on gender and age, as well as a weekly menu with sample meals. A second important part of a gut bacteria-friendly diet is eating meat in limited amounts. Red meat in particular contains L-carnitine that can be converted by gut bacteria to trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) which, if high for long periods, can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. A third pillar for a friendly diet for the microbiome is to limit saturated animal fats. The gut bacteria that flourish on these are the pathobionts (=) that can cause inflammation in the gut. In their sample menus and recipes, the fat source used is olive oil. The fourth component of good nutrition for the microbiome is eating beneficial bacteria. These are found in fermented foods such as unsweetened yogurt, kefir and fermented vegetables such as pickles and sauerkraut. The dietary recommendation is to consume at least one probiotic product daily. (J, Sonnenburg, Brain in your gut. naturedietists.com) Through fecal testing, you can learn more about your gut microbiome and the status of your gut. If you would like to have a stool test done or gain more insight into what foods are right for you, please contact me.
See a link with more information on probiotics here.
https://leefpuurnatuur.nl/productadvies/beste-probiotica/
Warm regards,
Dafna Suskind