Obesity
The importance of gut bacteria in maintaining good health and combating obesity
Sudi Narasimhan explores the linkage between gut bacteria , diet , obesity , and wellness
Our gut is the first line of defense that intercepts anything dangerous that we happen to ingest
Bacteria are an important part of who we are . In fact , the total number of cells in our body , estimated to be 10 – 30 trillion , are outnumbered by the amount of bacteria that is in or on the body , estimated at 40 – 100 trillion cells . We may selfidentify as a person , but the reality is that we are a combination of different organisms .
The majority of bacteria present in the body reside in our gut , or intestine . More specifically , a good portion of it is stored in our cecum , located at the head of our large intestine , furthest away from the colon , as shown in figure 1 . The appendix is located nearby the cecum , and there are theories postulated that the purpose of the appendix is to provide a reserve storage of healthy bacteria to quickly repopulate the gut in the event of a gut infection .
There are more than 1,000 species of bacteria in the human gut biome , and they all play a different role in the body . Many are extremely important for health , although a few are associated with causing disease . These microbes may weigh as much as 1-2 kg , almost as heavy as the human brain . Effectively , microbes can collectively act as another organ within the body .
Even though the gut biome is located within the body , it effectively sits outside the bloodstream and can therefore be thought of as a gatekeeper and barrier that sits between what is ingested and what is processed by our system .
Gut bacteria ’ s impact on immunity Our gut is the first line of defense that intercepts anything dangerous that we happen to ingest . We are surrounded by microbes , both through contact and what is airborne , and this inadvertently gets swallowed . Just think of dirty surfaces like our phone , keyboard , doorknobs , and food preparation surfaces . All of these sources have the potential to introduce a foreign pathogen into our body , and we have to thank our gut flora for being able to stay healthy under these circumstances .
These flora compete with potential pathogens for available space and food , and in a tightly packed ecosystem there is no room for foreign pathogens to take root and multiply . Not only does gut bacteria help to prevent foreign invaders , it also regulates inflammation in the intestine . There is a layer of
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