The power of your gut

The power of your gut
My microbiota as a woman
Our marvelous microbiota

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Did you know that our intestine is made up of trillions of microorganisms?1

Well, it’s the largest ecosystem in your body and it contains tiny living microorganisms, such as bacteria, viruses, fungi (including yeasts), and parasites. They all work together to keep your gut flora (a.k.a. the gut microbiota) in balance.

So, what exactly does the gut microbiota do? Among other things, it facilitates digestion.2 It also works as a barrier against pathogens and toxins,3 plays a defensive role in the development of your immune system4 and helps in the maintenance and maturation of the gastrointestinal tract.5

Get to know more about the gut microbiota, its importance for your health, and how to take care of it!

Related microbiota

The gut microbiota

Related diseases

Antibiotic-associated diarrhea Infectious gastroenteritis Infantile colic Travelers’ diarrhea Stomach Cancer Celiac disease Obesity

Possible interventions

Probiotics Prebiotics: what you need to know Diet Fecal transplant

What exactly are probiotics?

They were not “officially” defined until the 21st century. However, consumption of these beneficial microorganisms goes back to time immemorial.

Your gut is sometimes called "second brain"

There’s a bidirectional communication network between the gut and the brain, known as the “gut-brain axis”, which the gut microbiota may be involved in.

And also...

What you may have missed

Sources
  1. Ley RE, Peterson DA, Gordon JI. Ecological and evolutionary forces shaping microbial diversity in the human intestine. Cell. 2006 Feb 24;124(4):837-48.
  2. Jandhyala SM, Talukdar R, Subramanyam C, et al. Role of the normal gut microbiota. World J Gastroenterol. 2015 Aug 7;21(29):8787-803
  3. Sokol H. Microbiota and barrier effect. In: Marteau P, Dore J, eds. Gut Microbiota: A Full-Fledged Organ. Paris: John Libbey Eurotext; 2017:65-71.
  4. Brandtzaeg  P. Role of the Intestinal Immune System in Health. In:  Baumgart, Daniel C, eds. Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis: From Epidemiology and Immunobiology to a Rational Diagnostic and Therapeutic Approach. Springer International Publishing; 2017
  5. Tomas J, Wrzosek L, Bouznad N, B, et al. Primocolonization is associated with colonic epithelial maturation during conventionalization. FASEB J. 2013 Feb;27(2):645-55
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