What happens when our bacteria are damaged or out of balance?
Our diets have been shown to significantly affect which bacteria are predominant in our gut. Studies have shown that a high fat diet can affect which bacteria are present in the gut, and as such, this can then impact bile acid and bilirubin metabolism, alter hormonal networks, and shift towards amino acid and simple sugar metabolism1. Another study in rural Africa found that a switch to a more traditional diet rich in beans and vegetables from a fatty, meaty diet resulted in improvement in bowel cancer risk in a matter of weeks2.
In a recent case study where individuals were eating only Big Macs, Chicken nuggets, fries, coke, beer and crisps for over a week, the stool analysis showed a 40% reduction in diversity of gut bacteria, 50% reduction in bifidobacteria, a type of healthy bacteria which supress inflammation, and there was a change in which type of bacteria were most dominant3.
When our gut bacteria are damaged, or we reduce the mix of different types of bacteria, a negative impact on our health is likely.
Read more to understand how different probiotics are beneficial for different conditions.
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