The human body contains trillions of micro-organisms, including beneficial bacteria – collectively they are called your microbiome.
The microscopic living things in your gut and intestines are referred to as microorganisms, or microbes, for short.
Most of the microbes in your intestines are found in a “pocket” of your large intestine called the cecum, and they are referred to as the gut microbiome.
Although many different types of microbes live inside you, bacteria is the most studied.
Microbes have learned to play very important roles in the human body. In fact, without the gut microbiome, it would be very difficult to survive.
The gut microbiome begins to affect your body the moment you are born.
When you are first exposed to microbes when you pass through your mother’s birth canal. However, new evidence suggest that babies may come in contact with some microbes while inside the womb.
As you grow, your gut microbiome begins to diversify, meaning it starts to contain many different types of microbial species. Higher microbiome diversity is considered important for your health.
As your microbiome grows, it affects your body in several ways, including:
- Helping control brain health: Research suggests that the gut microbiome may also the health of the central nervous system, which controls brain function.
- Digesting fiber: Certain bacteria digest fiber, producing short-chain fatty acids, which are important for gut health. Fiber may help curb appetite and thus prevent unwanted weight gain, maintain healthy blood sugar levels already in a normal range, promote heart and colon health.
- Helping control your immune system: The gut microbiome also helps to maintain a healthy immune system. By communicating with immune cells, the gut microbiome can support your body’s normal immune response.
Therefore, there are a number of different ways in which the gut microbiome can affect key body functions and help you maintain good health.
It Maintains Your Gut Health
The microbiome can affect your gut health, playing a critical role in maintaining the health of the bowel and intestines.
Maintaining a healthy gut microbiome can reduce the occasional bloating, cramps and abdominal discomfort that some people experience due to gut microbes producing a lot of gas and other chemicals.
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