The Wonders of the Human Microbiome- What is it & how does it function?

Research has accelerated in the last 10 years with the last few years seeing leaps and bounds to reveal the vital role our gut plays in overall health, including immune function, mental wellbeing, and digestion.

The microbiome can be viewed as a bioreactor programmed to synthesize molecules that direct the immune system, modify gene expression, and regulate our metabolism.

To demonstrate how much influence the microbiome has on our system; we have, typically, 25000 genes, and the microbiome provides an extra 4 million genes to navigate the biochemistry within our bodies. The metabolic processes of the microbiome produce over 90% of the chemicals circulating in your blood, giving way to our complex ecosystems. Our personal ecosystems are constantly engaging with all the ecosystems (of other people, animals or the environment) we encounter.

People’s individual microbiome can be changed through many factors:

🥦Diet

🛀Hygiene

🙋‍♀️🐕🌇🌳Environment (People, Pets, Place, Culture)

😁😣😭Hormones

😩🤯Stress

🏃‍♂️🧘‍♀️🏋️‍♀️Exercise

💊🩺Personal medical history (Medications, Diseases)

👶👩‍🍼Early life experiences (including method of birth, feeding)

🧬Personal genetics (accounts for 20-30% of variability)

Through all these factors Microbiomes do the following functions:

Alter, create, destroy, recycle, nutrients, toxins, and hormones.

Make nutrients more or less bioavailable (meaning some foods, proteins/ carbohydrates will be better used in the body or become issues for intolerances).

Stimulate immune responses

Modify systemic metabolism

Alter gut motility

Compete with pathogens

Activate the enteric nervous system, which connects directly with the CNS

Influence protein function in brain and muscle

These functions occur via their structural components connecting to the receptors of our innate immune system to create anti-inflammatory or inflammatory reactions. They also metabolise our secretions and the substances we ingest, to impact our cellular function.

Delving into the world of the microbiome and how it impacts our health today, will take a series of informative posts to follow along as I progressively bring you more on the wonderous world of our microbes.

Next time I will dive into the ‘Impact of the Gut Microbiome on Immunity and Inflammation’.