The Gut Microbiome

Gastrointestinal health has formed a large area of practice for me. I honestly can’t recall one patient who hasn’t or doesn’t experience some sort of gut issue. Yes, some are worse than others and certainly, some patients require further investigations to assess what is really going on for them.

The Gut Microbiome is comprised of trillions of microbes or bugs, that interact with each cell in our body. You’ve heard of probiotics and these are made of just a few bacterial strains but in-fact, there are hundreds of different species and they aren’t just bacteria. They can also be fungi and virus’. Most are beneficial and influence our immunity, gut function, mental health, concentration, moods and how we digest our food, just to name a few.

The Human Microbiome Project was commenced in 2008 and was the first major mapping of the gut microbiome, over 5 years and since then, further refinements have been made. We’re always finding out more about the gut microbiome and its influence on health.

Presenting or experiencing bloating, cramping, digestive discomfort, variable constipation and diarrhoea should not occur and when it does, it can often mean there is dysbiosis or, an imbalance between the beneficial and negative bacteria in the gut. The gold standard colonoscopy or endoscopy for example, don’t asses the microbiome but rather, assess more the structural aspects of the gut and with this, patients are often told, everything is fine. So quite often, when a patients presents with multiple symptoms associated with the gut and they have seen a gastroenterologist and done all the testing the next step I conduct is, a microbiome mapping.

The microbiome mapping is a simple stool tests that can provide greater insight into the functional aspects of the gut and the influence these bugs can have on our health. It has been a game changer in practice for my patients and something that is able to direct treatment protocols and improve patient outcomes. This test not only looks at the bug but also, the functional and inflammatory markers that can quite often, be deranged, further contributing to how one is feeling.

The microbiome is an area of functional medicine that is fascinating and exciting. To assess ones microbiome means to take a deep dive into what trillions of bugs make that person tick and how these bugs truly influence ones health.

Taking probiotics may assist however, is it the right type, do you require other nutrients such as polyphenols and pre and post biotics to really improve your health? This is what the microbiome mapping can tell us. You shouldn’t have to rely on a daily probiotic to support your gut health. If you really know what makes up your gut, we can then find ways to support it correctly and improve your gut health, for life.