THE MICROBIOME'S CONTRIBUTIONS TO WELL-BEING AND OVERALL HEALTH

Digestive Health

Digestions is massively hampered if bacteria don't cooperate in the process food degradation.

 

Nutrient Breakdown: Gut microbes help digest complex carbohydrates, fibers, and other substances that our enzymes cannot process.

Production of Short-Chain Fatty Acids (SCFAs): By fermenting dietary fiber, the microbiome produces SCFAs like butyrate, which nourish gut cells, reduce inflammation, and maintain intestinal integrity.

Vitamin Synthesis: Some gut bacteria produce essential vitamins, such as vitamin K and certain B vitamins (e.g., B12, folate, and biotin).

Immune System Regulation

 

Immune System Development:
Early exposure to microbes helps "train" the immune system to distinguish between harmful pathogens and harmless substances.

 

Interaction with Pathogens:
Beneficial microbes compete with harmful bacteria, toxins and all kind of environmental particles, molecules respectively either for nutrients, space or simply by exposure to them.

 

Inflammation control:
Some microbiota species modulate immune responses, preventing excessive inflammation that could lead to autoimmune diseases.

Mental Health and Brain Function

 

Gut-Brain Axis:
The microbiome communicates with the brain via the vagus nerve, immune signaling, and metabolites like SCFAs* and neurotransmitters.

 

Neurotransmitter Production:
Certain gut bacteria produce neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine, and GABA**, which influence mood and behavior.

 

Mental Health Disorders:
An imbalanced microbiome (dysbiosis) has been linked to conditions like anxiety, depression, and even neurodegenerative diseases (e.g., Parkinson’s disease).

 

*short chain fatty acids
** Gamma-aminobutyric acid

Metabolic Health

 

Energy Harvesting:
The microbiome extracts additional energy from food, playing a role in metabolism.

 

Weight Regulation:
Dysbiosis is associated with obesity and metabolic disorders, potentially by altering energy balance and fat storage.

 

Blood Sugar Control:
Certain gut bacteria influence glucose metabolism, contributing to diabetes prevention or exacerbation.

Skin Health

 

Barrier Function:
Skin microbiota strengthen the skin's natural barrier, protecting against environmental damage and pathogens.

 

Modulation of inflammatory processes:
Bacteria modulate the skin's immune responses, helping prevent conditions like eczema, acne, and psoriasis.

Bacteria help protecting of Chronic Diseases

 

Chronic Inflammatory Diseases:
A healthy microbiome reduces chronic inflammation, which is a risk factor for diseases like cardiovascular disease, cancer, arthritis and many more.

 

Cancer Prevention:
Some microbes metabolize dietary compounds into anticancer agents or enhance immune surveillance against tumor cells.

balance is what our body requires, our lifestyle contributes a lot to the fact that this is not the case in many people anymore, bacteria belong to us as do all our cell of the different organs and organ systems

Personalized Responses to Drugs

Drug Metabolism:
The microbiome affects how the body processes medications, including antibiotics, chemotherapy agents, and pain relievers.

 

Probiotics and Prebiotics:
Supplementing or nourishing beneficial microbes can improve health outcomes for certain conditions.

Support During Development and Aging

 

Early Life:
The microbiome is critical during infancy for immune system development and protecting against allergies.

 

Elderly Health:
Maintaining microbiome diversity is linked to better health and resilience during aging.

 

The tree is our metaphor for inflammation. If you carefully watch the seasons you see how the tree changes. The color of its trunk, the leaves, when they fall and are blown by the wind during wintertime and how the buds thrive in early spring. This is aging and recovery.

Maintaining a Healthy Microbiome

 

Diet:
A diverse, plant-rich diet with plenty of fiber supports microbial diversity. Fermented foods (e.g., yogurt, kimchi) introduce beneficial bacteria.

 

Avoiding Overuse of Antibiotics:
Preserving beneficial microbes by using antibiotics only when necessary.

 

Probiotics and Prebiotics:
Probiotics (beneficial bacteria) and prebiotics (fiber that feeds these bacteria) can support microbiome health. This is one of the main reasons, why we decided to exchange Maltodextrine by Oligodextrine, pure dietary fibres and good food for our so important bacteria.

 

Lifestyle Factors:
Regular exercise, stress management, and adequate sleep positively influence the microbiome.