Looking after your gut microbiome is essential for overall health, impacting everything from digestion to immune function and even mood. Research highlights the role of gut microbes in producing beneficial compounds like short-chain fatty acids, which support weight control and reduce inflammation. An unhealthy microbiome, often linked to poor diet, may increase risks of neurodegenerative diseases and metabolic issues. Simple steps like eating diverse vegetables, incorporating fermented foods, and avoiding ultra-processed options can nurture a healthy microbiome for better well-being.The microbiome is becoming an increasingly mainstream topic, particularly in the world of nutrition, but it wasn’t that long ago that it was a pretty niche interest. Many health professionals are still skeptical of the importance of the microbiome with some justification as there are a lot of exaggerated claims being made by health influencers and wellness companies.

I first became interested in the microbiome ten years ago when I studied Biology as an undergraduate and I have stayed in touch with the topic ever since. In recent years, a significant body of research has built up showing that the microbes that live in our bodies have much more profound impacts on our health than we had previously realized. In this article I’ll survey some of these findings and hopefully convince you should take the health of your microbiome seriously.  

So what is the microbiome? 

The microbiome is the vast community of microbes (bacteria, fungi, and viruses) that live in our bodies. It is estimated that the average human carries around 100 trillion microbial cells - outnumbering our own cells about ten to one. 

These microbes are found all over the body including the skin, your mouth, and your lungs, but when people talk about the microbiome they usually mean the microbes that live in your gut.

Your gut is lined with a complex ecosystem of bacteria, fungi, viruses, and other microbes that is unique to you. The composition of this ecosystem can affect everything from your mood to your immune system.

How do we know it’s important?

The most obvious impact of the microbiome is on digestion. Microbes can produce enzymes that our bodies can’t which helps with the breakdown of hard to digest fiber. Specific microbes have particular functions so by looking at the makeup of your microbiome it is possible to predict how well you can digest particular food groups like protein or fat.

It gets more interesting when we look at other chemicals that bacteria can produce - so called “bacterial metabolites”. For example, bacteria in the colon can digest fiber into “short chain fatty acids”. These provide an important source of energy for the cells that line the gut which may be protective against diseases such as colon cancer. 

Higher levels of short chain fatty acids (SCFA) have also been found to support better glucose and weight control. Participants in a study who were given supplements containing lupin kernel fiber, which increases SCFA production, had several metabolic benefits. Over three treatments of 4 weeks duration the lost weight, had better blood cholesterol levels, and reduced blood pressure and markers of inflammation.

Changes in the gut microbiome have also been consistently found in neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s disease. It is not clear yet whether the gut microbiome changes are a cause or side-effect of the disease in humans but there is promising evidence from studies in mice. High fat and high sugar diets are a known risk factor for neurodegenerative disease and these diets also promote a dysfunctional microbiome.

There is even emerging evidence the gut microbiome transplants can improve the outcomes of patients who are undergoing chemotherapy to treat cancers. I can’t think of a more striking demonstration for the vital importance of the gut microbiome for our health!

How can you support your gut microbiome? 

‍The best way to know how to support your gut microbiome is to first test whether it is healthy. Niahealth has partnered with TinyHealth, an industry leader in microbiome testing, so that we can provide the best possible insights on your gut microbiome. This allows us to suggest the most effective diet and supplementation strategies for you.

You don’t need to get tested to begin helping you gut microbiome though. Here are three important principles to follow:

1. Eat as many different vegetables as you can: More vegetables means more different types of fiber. This supports the diversity of your gut microbiome 
2. Incorporate fermented foods into your diet: Foods like live yoghurt and kimchi are natural probiotics (sources of beneficial bacteria) and also feed the beneficial bacteria that are already living in your gut. 
3. Avoid ultra-processed foods: It is especially important to avoid a high intake of animal fats as this is known to disrupt the gut microbiome.

The beauty of lifestyle medicine is that the best interventions will often help many different aspects of your health at once. Following those three dietary principles is only likely to benefit your gut microbiome but your cholesterol and blood sugar levels as well.

If you want to find out more about our microbiome offering check out our sample dashboard here.

Key References:

• Kwon, D., Zhang, K., Paul, K.C., Folle, A.D., et al. (2024) Diet and the gut microbiome in patients with Parkinson’s disease. npj Parkinson's Disease. [Online] 10 (1). Available from: doi:10.1038/s41531-024-00681-7.
• Yang, Y., An, Y., Dong, Y., Chu, Q., et al. (2024) Fecal microbiota transplantation: no longer cinderella in tumour immunotherapy. eBioMedicine. [Online] 100, 104967. Available from: doi:10.1016/j.ebiom.2024.104967.
• Dabke, K., Hendrick, G. & Devkota, S. (2019) The gut microbiome and metabolic syndrome. Journal of Clinical Investigation. [Online] 129 (10), 4050–4057. Available from: doi:10.1172/jci129194.

All the views expressed here are based on careful research conducted by the research team at Niahealth. However, in some places we have omitted certain details for the sake of clarity and simplicity. If you have any questions about our research or the content of this blog email our head of research Dr Robin Brown at : robin@niahealth.co