Go with Your Gut

Gut Microbiome

Probiotics is a term that has moved into mainstream health consciousness in recent years. I’m sure you’ve heard that they are good for you, and I’m sure you know you should consume them, but do you know why you should, or even which foods to find them in?

Well, the first thing to note is that probiotics are one way of keeping your gut healthy. Scientific evidence in recent years has indicated that having a healthy gut not only helps manage and reduce gastrointestinal problems like diarrhoea, constipation, allergies and inflammatory bowel disorders, but can also significantly impact blood glucose, blood pressure and cholesterol levels. There is also a growing body of evidence to suggest that it can even reduce the negative impact of ageing; protect against the development of cancer; reduce the risk of the development of Alzheimer’s; and improve neuropsychiatric pathologies like depression, anxiety and autism spectrum disorders.

So, what exactly is your gut and how do you keep it healthy?

We all have billions and billions of microorganisms living in our gastrointestinal tract (GIT), primarily in our large intestine or colon. These microorganisms are made up of varying levels of different types of 'good' and 'bad' bacteria and fungi (and some other organisms) and they form what is known as our gut microbiome (a little world of microorganisms within the gut). Each human being has a unique gut microbiome, even if they share the same lifestyle and diet.

If there are more 'good' types of bacteria and fungi than 'bad' types, then you have a healthy gut microbiome and therefore a healthy gut. But what is ‘good’ and what is ‘bad’, and how do you go about tipping the balance?

‘Good’ Bacteria?

‘Bad’ bacteria and fungi, for lack of better terminology, are the ones that can cause disease or discomfort if there are too many present. For example, there are some of these bacteria that do commonly live in our GIT in low enough population levels that there are no adverse effects, like Salmonella (Salmonella enterica bacteria), Listeria (Listeria monocytogenes bacteria) and E.coli (Escherichia coli bacteria). But if too many of these particular bacteria become present in the gut microbiome (commonly due to more being introduced by contaminated food or water, or by creating the ideal conditions within your gut for these bacteria to thrive and grow out of control), you get a type of 'poisoning' that presents as abdominal discomfort, disease and even death.

But, believe it or not, there are beneficial bacteria and other microorganisms. These are the ones that contribute to a healthy gut microbiome. We can therefore simplistically refer to these as ‘good’. Or, better yet, we can call them probiotics. In fact, the WHO defines probiotics as “Live organisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit to the host.”

There are multiple types of microorganisms that act as probiotics, but the most common strains currently are the bacterial genera, lactobacilli and bifidobacteria, and the yeast genus, saccharomyces.

So, apart from not eating or drinking contaminated foodstuffs, how do we avoid increasing the 'bad' bacteria and fungi in our gut? Two ways. Firstly, by avoiding diets high in refined sugar and fat. Secondly, by eating more foods that promote the healthy bacteria and fungi in our guts.

But where?

Probiotics are naturally found in foods that are fermented, like yoghurt, buttermilk, bacterially-fermented cheeses, kimchi, sauerkraut, kombucha, kefir, tempeh and miso. But it is important to note that these probiotic cultures are very sensitive and can easily be killed by preserving and storing techniques, such as heat treatment. So, always check the yoghurt label, for example, to see if it says that the product contains ‘live cultures’. (There are two big supermarket chains in South Africa that have house-brand yoghurts containing live probiotics.)

Even one daily serving of a probiotic-rich food can make a huge difference to your gut health. So, why not change your yoghurt brand or try out something new? The health benefits involved make it well worth it.

You can also take a multi-strain probiotic supplement daily, if you prefer.

 REFERENCES

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2.      Ebner S, Smug LN, Kneifel W, Salminen SJ, Sanders ME. Probiotics in dietary guidelines and clinical recommendations outside the European Union. WJG. 2014 Nov 21;20(43):16095-16100.

3.      Pandey KR, Naik SR, Vakil BV. Probiotics, prebiotics and synbiotics - a review. JFST. 2015 Dec;52(12):7577-7587.

4.      Nall R. Medical News Today [Internet]. 2018. Probiotic foods: What to know. Available from: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323314

5.      Andrews R. Precision Nutrition [Internet]. 2021. All about probiotics: How to get them from both food and supplements. Available from: https://www.precisionnutrition.com/all-about-probiotics