The intestines play a crucial role in the digestion process and in absorbing nutrients from the foods we consume. However, there is still much we do not know about this important organ, and studies reveal more information about it every day.
Here are some things that many are unaware of regarding intestinal health, according to the Huffington Post:
**1. The Speed at Which Our Gut Balance Can Change**
Can we give our intestinal health a "transformation" in just one day, rather than a year of eating differently? Dr. Ashkan Farhadi, a gastroenterologist at Memorial Care Orange Coast in California, states, "With just one day of a specific diet and putting someone under stress, the composition of gut bacteria can change. The fact that gut bacteria can change rapidly makes it difficult to determine, but it also gives hope to experts that controlling these changes can improve other medical conditions."
**2. The Impact of Gut Health on Weight**
Experts are also trying to understand more about the relationship between gut bacteria and weight. For instance, a study published in September examined stool and blood samples from people who lost weight (controlling for factors such as age, gender, and body mass index). Researchers found a connection between the patients' microbiome and weight loss. Specifically, it appeared that the microbes in the weight loss group had an increased number of genes that accelerate the growth of beneficial gut bacteria. The study's authors concluded that diet alone may not be the only factor contributing to weight loss. Lead author Christian Diener, a scientist at the Systems Biology Institute in Seattle, said, "The gut microbiome can help or cause resistance to weight loss, and this opens up the possibility of trying to change the gut microbiome to influence weight loss."
**3. Link to Autoimmune Diseases**
The causes of autoimmune diseases can seem as mysterious as the microbiome, and researchers are exploring how they can be interconnected. Farhadi stated that the microbiome "plays an important role in immune function. When there is stress in the body, it makes the gut more permeable, allowing bacteria greater access to the immune system. This can alert the body that germs are nearby and activate the immune response. This is why diseases like rheumatoid arthritis are partially treated with probiotics."
**4. How Gut Health Can Affect Mental Health**
Gut health experts are also studying how the microbiome can influence mental health. Farhadi noted on the connection between gut health and mental well-being, "We do not know much, but we have some evidence, and there are many studies on the role of bacteria in depression, shaping our mood and confidence, and other studies showing that when we feel stressed, the composition of bacteria in our gut changes."
Bacteria in the gut can produce chemicals and even serotonin, the happiness hormone that helps stabilize mood. People with various mental disorders may have different types of bacteria in their intestines compared to those who do not suffer from such conditions.
