GUT MICROBIOME
BY ACTIVATED PROBIOTICS January 16, 2024
The diverse array of microorganisms living within our gut (often referred to as the gut microbiome or the gut microbiota) is a crucial component of overall health, as we now know that the composition of the gut microbiota can contribute to either health or disease, depending on the ratio and diversity of bad gut bacteria to more beneficial organisms. The good news is, there are things you can do every day to support the best gut bacteria in your gut ecosystem, so they can better support you and your health.
Let us explore how you can harness the power of everyday routine to improve gut microbiome diversity so you can optimise your health overall.
Upon waking in the morning, one of the best things we can do to improve gut health and support digestion is to hydrate.
Taking a couple of glasses of warm lemon water in the morning is a tried and true traditional “food as medicine” recommendation for gently hydrating the digestive tract, whilst also serving to get our digestive system “awake” and our juices flowing!
Recent research has confirmed the benefits of drinking lemon water, with lemon juice consumed alongside food showing a 1.5 fold increase in gastric contents and gastric emptying when compared to either water or tea (1). This means lemon juice successfully encourages your digestive system to get moving, helping to prepare the body for better digestion when you’re ready to get stuck into your gut healthy breakfast.
Going back to hydration, many of us are aware of the importance of taking in enough fluids each day, however after a night of sleep, first thing in the morning is when our hydration levels really need a boost.
While sufficient water intake is pivotal for maintaining all physiological processes in our bodies, it is particularly essential for a healthy gut microbiome and for optimal function of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). For example, optimal hydration helps to keep the mucus layer in our gut lining nourished and lubricated which is an important home and source of nutrients for many of our gut microorganisms. It also facilitates smooth movement of digestive contents through the gastrointestinal tract and can alter the levels and diversity of microbes in the gut.
Research shows that water restriction alters the composition of gut microbiota, reduces abundance of immune cells in the gut, reduces capacity for eliminating pathogens from the gut, and increases constipation (2). So there are plenty of reasons to have a couple of glasses of warm lemon water in the morning!
Did you know that digestive symptoms and gut troubles can be signs of stress?
The multi-faceted system connecting the gut and the brain (often referred to as the “gut-brain axis”) is one example of how our gut microbiome connects with our other body systems to maintain health in the body. Stress symptoms that manifest in the gut may include diarrhoea, constipation, bloating, gas, and abdominal pain (3). So if you have ever suspected a link between your stomach cramps and stress, you may be onto something!
It is now understood that via the gut-brain axis, stress and gut health are intimately connected. While stress affects the gut in a variety of ways, it can also contribute to potentially long-term changes in gut microbiota (4). Therefore, stress management can improve gut health and positively alter the composition of microorganisms living in the gut, improving both mental health and digestive health.
A recent clinical trial investigated this by observing how anxious young adults responded to mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) (5), a form of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) which incorporates elements of mindfulness (such as meditation, yoga, etc). The researchers found that after eight weeks, the gut microbiome in the people who had been doing MBCT started to shift towards a microbial profile more similar to people without high anxiety. While this study employed a specific mindfulness-based therapy, other tools like mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) have also been shown to significantly alleviate unpleasant gastrointestinal symptoms, for example, such as those seen with IBS (6).
While these specific mindfulness tools have been effective in clinical settings, any form of mindfulness-based practice, including things like yoga, Tai Chi, Qigong, meditation, or rhythmic breathing, are also easy and effective activities to incorporate into your regular routine, not just for your mental health, but for your gut and the community of microbes living in it, too.
“You are what you eat” is a popular saying, however perhaps a more accurate statement might be, “you are what your gut bugs eat”!
Foods for good gut health can be very diverse, but let’s focus specifically on foods to improve gut microbiome composition - the foods that feed the best gut bacteria!
The variation between each person’s unique microbiome means that generic dietary recommendations are not nearly as supportive to improve gut health as more personalised nutritional approaches are. Nevertheless, beneficial gut microbes have been shown to thrive with a diet that prioritises diversity of whole foods, as opposed to one with a high amount of processed foods.
Specifically, foods including fresh fruits vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, and wholegrains, fermented foods and lean proteins are some of the best choices you can make in your daily food intake to improve gut health (7). Specific groups of foods for good gut health might include:
-Antioxidant-rich foods such as berries, brightly coloured vegetables and cacao
-Fibre and prebiotic foods such as fruit and vegetables with skin on, garlic, onion, asparagus, relatively unprocessed whole grains and legumes
-Fermented foods rich in dietary probiotics such as sauerkraut, yoghurt and kefir
-Foods low in sugar, additives and refined oils
Aside from specific foods to improve gut health, meal timing is also an important factor known to impact our gut microbiota. Whilst each individual has unique biology and a highly personalised gut microbiome, research has found that when it comes to meal timing there are a few things you can do to improve gut health (8):
-Keep a regular meal pattern (including breakfast)
-Keep most of your energy consumption earlier in the day rather than later
-Consume 2-3 meals a day
-Practice fasting regularly (overnight, for example)
While this research is insightful, it is important to remember that we all have unique nutritional requirements, so seeking personalised support with a qualified nutritionist or other healthcare professional is recommended to find out what works best for you.
Regular physical activity is beneficial for numerous reasons, but did you know that movement can improve gut health?
While going for a gentle walk after main meals is an effective recommendation to help facilitate peristalsis (the muscular movement of our intestines to help move food through our digestive tract) as well as encouraging blood flow to help us digest our food, regular movement can also change the gut microbiota.
A systematic review analysed the findings of 25 studies which investigated microbiota changes in response to exercise (9). After comparing the data from these studies, it was found that moderate and high intensity aerobic exercise (such as cycling, circuit training, kickboxing, or jogging) reduced intestinal inflammation and promoted diversity of beneficial microbial species in the gut. The beneficial changes to the microbiome were not seen in very low exercise conditions, and negative impacts were observed with over-exercising.
This research suggests that moderate to high intensity physical activity promotes a diverse microbiome, and diversity of the gut microbiota is an indicator of a balanced and healthy microbiome. The researchers also note that microbiota changes in response to exercise only lasted for a short amount of time, so incorporating regular movement would be ideal to incorporate into your weekly routine for maximal benefit.
When it comes to exercise for gut health, incorporating regular walks into your daily movement plan plus a few higher intensity workouts throughout the week could be an ideal regimen to start working into your routine to improve gut health and general wellbeing.
In addition to incorporating the above strategies into your regular routine, a simple way you can improve gut health and support your gut microbiome is by taking the right probiotic.
While there are countless probiotic supplements available now, it is important to note that the effectiveness of a probiotic lies in the specificity of the probiotic strains used, as each strain has a very specific action.
For example, if you are experiencing unpleasant gastrointestinal symptoms and are seeking probiotics for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a formulation like Biome IBS™ Probiotic includes two specific probiotic strains, Lactobacillus plantarum 299v (10-12) and Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (13) which have been shown to significantly improve symptoms of IBS in human clinical trials.
Whilst it is a common conception that probiotics are predominantly helpful for gut health, and indeed probiotics can help with gut issues like IBS symptoms as mentioned, or sluggish bowels and bloating (the specific strains in Biome Lax™ Probiotic are helpful here), probiotics can also support your health beyond the gut depending on your unique circumstances.
For example, probiotics for eczema as well as probiotics for acne have been developed using specific strains that have been found to help improve these two skin conditions, while other strains have been found to reduce the frequency and severity of common colds and have been used to develop Biome Daily™, a probiotic for immune system health.
Additionally, certain probiotic strains are more suitable for use across different life stages, with specific probiotics for kids, for support through pregnancy, or even to help support bone density in older people with a strain-specific probiotic such as Biome Osteo™.
The health of your gut (specifically your gut microbiome) plays an important role in overall health, so it pays to nurture it everyday by practicing healthy habits.
In summary, here are 5 simple daily routines to boost gut health which you can start implementing today:
1. Maintain a morning ritual of keeping hydrated, drinking warm lemon water in the morning to wake up your digestion
2. Practice mindfulness regularly to address the impact of stress on the gut
3. Eat nutritious whole plant foods for good gut health, being conscious of your hunger cues and meal-timing to support your gut microbiome
4. Incorporate a daily movement plan to harness the power of exercise for gut health
5. Supplement daily with strain-specific probiotics to support not only your gut health, but your general health and wellbeing
By incorporating these strategies into your regular routine, you can start to take action to improve gut health, improve gut microbiome diversity, and enhance your overall health and wellbeing in the long run.
Pedersen, N., Andersen, N. N., Végh, Z., Jensen, L., Ankersen, D. V., Felding, M., Simonsen, M. H., Burisch, J., & Munkholm, P. (2014). Ehealth: Low FODMAP diet vs Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG in irritable bowel syndrome. World Journal of Gastroenterology, 20(43), 16215.