Intestinal dysbiosis: a hidden enemy?

Diet can be considered one of the behavioral factors that most influences people's quality of life. Our proper conduct regarding food has become necessary, as eating habits and lifestyle, over the last 40 years, have undergone several modifications, overloading the different systems of the body. The ingestion of food does not guarantee that its nutrients will be bioavailable for use by cells. In this context, the intestines are organs of vital importance in our body. They function as filters, capable of allowing or blocking the entry of nutrients necessary for the body and harmful substances for our health. It is necessary to nourish the body adequately, that is, to have an adequate intake of food, in quantity and quality, so that our body receives all the essential nutrients for its proper functioning and also to ensure that these foods are well digested, absorbed, and utilized. This process is fundamental to determining the best physical, mental, and emotional state.

We can define DYSBIOSIS as 'the imbalance between beneficial and pathogenic microorganisms present in the human intestine.' And this is very detrimental to health. The main consequences are vitamin absorption deficiency, fatigue, inactivation of digestive enzymes, poor digestion, excessive fermentation, deconjugation of bile salts, impaired digestion and absorption of fats, production of tumor promoters (such as nitrosamines), and destruction of the intestinal mucosa. It's no laughing matter!

If the intestinal walls are damaged, an imbalance can occur between the protective and aggressive bacteria of the intestine, leading to INTESTINAL DYSBIOSIS, and, in addition to all the diseases mentioned above, unpleasant symptoms include: abdominal discomfort, abdominal bloating, overweight, malnutrition, and even the emergence of serious diseases due to alterations in the immune system (cancer, esophagitis, urinary tract infection, Haschimoto thyroiditis, Lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, depression, anxiety, Panic Disorder and other psychic disorders).

However, scientific research has discovered elements in nature that can restore the microbiota. (In ecology, microbiota refers to the set of microorganisms that inhabit an ecosystem, mainly bacteria, but also some protozoa, which generally have important functions in the decomposition of organic matter and, therefore, in nutrient recycling.)

The gastrointestinal tract (GIT) harbors a superorganism called the intestinal microbiota (gut flora), which is known to play a crucial role in digestion and also in the development of various diseases. The human gastrointestinal tract contains more than 10 trillion bacteria, encompassing over 500 different species. One of the main functions of the intestinal mucosa is its barrier activity, which prevents antigenic or pathogenic molecules or microorganisms from entering the systemic circulation. The human intestine represents the largest lymphoid organ in the body; thus, it is responsible for several immunological reactions due to the presence of antibodies, such as secretory immunoglobulin A and various other immunocompetent cells. Intestinal integrity is linked to a balance of intestinal bacteria and the healthy nutrition of enterocytes and colonocytes, which are cells of the intestinal mucosa.

The presence of these bacteria is essential for metabolism, protection against pathogenic agents, and maturation of the immune system. In contrast, the immune system determines the composition of the microbiota. Microbial composition altered by dysbiosis has been correlated with numerous diseases in humans, due to reduced immunity, according to an article published in the American Journal of Transplantation by researchers from the Department of Medicine, at the University of Chicago.

Another group of researchers, from the Keio University School of Medicine in Tokyo, reported that disrupted intestinal microbiota composition, or dysbiosis, may be associated with the root causes of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) and that depression in the intrinsic immune system is an effect, not a cause, of IBD.

If the intestinal walls are damaged, an imbalance can occur between the protective and aggressive bacteria of the intestine, leading to intestinal dysbiosis, a disorder that can cause overweight, malnutrition, and even the emergence of other more serious diseases, due to alterations in the immune system, such as:

It can also be associated with other dietary factors, a diet with excess protein, fat, or carbohydrates (a large intake of carbohydrates leads to greater fermentation by bacteria in the large intestine), or with a low fiber content or even a deficiency of vitamins. Dysbiosis inhibits the formation of vitamins produced in the intestine or their absorption, such as B12, and allows the growth of fungi and bacteria capable of affecting the functioning of the body, altering the intestinal microbiota.

Mental health is intimately linked to physical health. Depression, for example, is highly prevalent worldwide and a major cause of individual disability. Depression can have several causes, one of which may be dysbiosis, according to scientists. In an article published in Inflammopharmacology last month, researchers from Medlab in Sydney, Australia, state that the microbiota in the gastrointestinal tract is implicated as an important participant in improving adverse mood conditions, through the various metabolic activities exerted by living beneficial bacteria (probiotics) as an adjuvant treatment for these disorders.

The treatment of dysbiosis covers two lines: one DIETARY, through the intake of functional foods that benefit the constitution of the intestinal microbiota, and another using SUPPLEMENTS. The functional foods that are related to the improvement and maintenance of the microbiota are probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics. Evidence has shown that probiotic and prebiotic foods positively modulate the composition and activity of the intestinal microbiota, with consequent beneficial effects on health, such as the reestablishment of the balance of these microorganisms, stimulation of the immune system, with strong indications that they also inhibit carcinogenic activity.

In general, avoiding processed foods and those with inflammatory potential for the intestine will make your microbiota "happier." This image humorously demonstrates what constitutes good vs. bad.

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