Does a happy gut make a healthy body?
In recent years, the gut and its
gastrointestinal inhabitants have been a topic of interest to those hoping to
unlock the key to preventing diet-related diseases, such as obesity and type 2
diabetes. Researchers have learned that
organisms within the gut are highly susceptible to changes in the
gastrointestinal environment and the composition of the diet. This imbalance can often lead to damage to
the intestinal lining, intestinal permeability, and systemic inflammation which
can result in weight gain, atherosclerosis, and impaired glucose utilization.
Promising
research has identified a gut superhero—Akkermansia
muciniphila—a bacterial microorganism within the gut that can help protect
the intestinal tract by regulating mucus secretion, subsequently inhibiting an
autoimmune response and promoting insulin sensitivity. A muciniphila
concentrations can be used as preliminary biomarkers for obesity and type 2
diabetes. Additionally, probiotic
supplements containing A muciniphila,
in combination with prebiotic fiber intake, has resulted in improved metabolic
health for obese study participants.
Maintaining
a FODMAP diet, one low in fermentable oligo-, di-, and monosaccharides and
polyphenols, can help manage gastrointestinal disorders and maintain a healthy
gut population. However, these diets are
most effective when combined with prebiotics and probiotics, such as A muciniphila, in an effort to optimize
metabolic health.
Bland, J. (2016).
Intestinal Microbiome, Akkermansia muciniphila, and Medical Nutrition
Therapy. Integrative Medicine: A
Clinician's Journal, 15(5), 14-16.
LH
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