Gut Microbiota : Finding
Scientists are finding that the gut microbiota may be linked to heart health, some cancers, and even the colour of urine.
- The human gut microbiota refers to the trillions of microbes, such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites, that live in the human gut.
- Previously, people referred to the gut microbiota as the microflora of the gut.
- The gut microbiome is the environment they live in.
- While there are beneficial bacteria in the gut, there are also harmful bacteria that can enter the Gastrointestinal (GI) tract and cause infection.
- These infections include food poisoning and other GI diseases that result in diarrhoea and vomiting.
- Research suggests that bacterial populations in the GI system play a role in developing gut conditions, including inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
- Low microbial diversity in the gut also has links to obesity and type 2 diabetes.
- The status of the gut microbiota also has links to metabolic syndrome.
- Disturbing the microbiota with antibiotics can also lead to disease, including infections that become resistant to antibiotics.
