The microbiome is the sum of all microorganisms in our body. It fulfills numerous functions and is therefore treated almost like an organ in its own right.
Table of contents
1. What is the microbiome?
The term microbiome is composed of the Greek syllables mikros (small) and bios (life) . When we talk about the microbiome, we primarily mean the totality of all microorganisms that inhabit a multicellular organism.
The human microbiome is estimated to consist of approximately 39 trillion microorganisms . It is unique to each person and is influenced, among other things, by our individual lifestyle .
The human microbiome is very large, weighing between 1.5 and 2 kg ! This, and the fact that it performs many vital functions , has earned it a reputation among researchers as functioning " like an organ in its own right ."
Among other things, the microbiome influences our general health , our fitness and potentially also our psychological well-being and our mental performance .
A healthy microbiome is, on the one hand, the result of a holistic lifestyle , but on the other hand, it is also the prerequisite for it.
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2. Types of microbiomes
Although the discourse about the microbiome usually focuses on the gut, humans actually have several different microbiomes . There is the gut microbiome , the oral microbiome, and the skin microbiome.
The gut microbiome is the largest and, as a whole, forms the intestinal flora . It is closely followed by the skin microbiome. You may have heard that the skin is referred to as the largest organ in the human body.
The microbiome in the mouth is the smallest. The microbiome of the skin and oral mucosa functions very similarly to that of the gut .
Here, too, there is a “flora,” i.e. an environment regulated by individual bacteria, which is subject to a balance that can be quite sensitive depending on the individual’s predisposition.
3. Tasks and functions of the microbiome in the intestine
The tasks and functions of the intestinal microbiome are diverse . Not only are important metabolic processes initiated here, but vital nutrients are also synthesized. Furthermore, the microbiome, or intestinal flora, is also involved in the release of neurotransmitters [1].
Specifically, the synthesis of essential vitamins B1, B2, B6, B12 , and vitamin K takes place primarily in the intestine. In addition, intestinal bacteria also produce short-chain fatty acids such as acetic or butyric acid.
These, in turn, serve as an important energy source for the intestinal mucosal cells . The body's own inhibition of inflammation, as well as numerous purification and detoxification processes, are only possible with the involvement of the microbiome.
In addition, a healthy microbiome also supports the digestive process . This allows even difficult-to-digest or even indigestible food sources, such as fiber, to be eliminated .
Some aspects of immune modulation also depend on the activities of the microbiome. For example, the immune system is stimulated and encouraged to neutralize pathogens .
Furthermore, the intestinal microbiome also helps to remove bile acid, a cholesterol breakdown product . Thus, the intestinal flora also plays a central role in human lipid metabolism.
4. Consequences of changes in the intestinal microbiome
If the microbiome becomes unbalanced, the consequences can be quite dramatic. In particular, changes in the intestinal microbiome can, in the long term, promote the development of intestinal inflammation , intestinal tumors, colon cancer , and even obesity .
The so-called " metabolic syndrome " has also been linked to a significant imbalance in the intestinal flora . Because of the associated insulin resistance, the condition is often considered a precursor to type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Pancreatic insufficiency also appears to be the result of a weak gut microbiome in many cases. The same applies to inflammatory diseases associated with advancing age, which may also have their roots in the gut microbiome.
Research is being conducted into the extent to which diseases such as arthritis or Alzheimer’s disease could be prevented through timely dietary interventions [2].
Furthermore, there is discussion about whether certain forms of autism could be due to existing microbiome imbalances . The development of anxiety disorders and depression could also begin in the gut.
Animal experiments have shown that changes in the intestinal microbiome in dogs can lead to anxiety or aggression [3].
Incidentally, taking antibiotics has the greatest impact on the composition of your natural microbiome . Depending on the medication, it can take the human body up to six months for the microbiome's flora to return to normal.
You can now, to a certain extent, find out for yourself whether there is actually a change in your gut microbiome. There are many providers of microbiome tests , especially online.
Such test kits are designed to analyze the specific composition of your gut bacteria. However, it's unclear how useful the results really are in individual cases.
5. Microbiome research
Microbiome research is still in its infancy . It has only been pursued intensively for about 10 years . This is due in no small part to the fact that the human microbiome, or rather the various microbiomes, are interconnected in a wide variety of ways with other vital functions .
However, we now know for sure that the number of bacteria in the human body is even higher than the number of cells : the human metabolism alone has 17 enzymes for carbohydrate breakdown, while intestinal bacteria have more than 200.
However, this presents another challenge for microbiome research: Since we do not yet know all bacterial strains and cultures, it is difficult to understand their interactions in detail .
Particularly notable in this context is the American " Human Microbiome Project ," which began in 2007 [4]. In Europe, the research group around " MetaHIT " is focusing on the connections between the different bacterial strains [5].
Studies on indigenous peoples in particular show how much our lifestyle, our diet and the intake of medications and other substances influence the intestinal microbiome.
These people generally have a much more diverse and therefore healthier microbiome than people living in industrialized nations . Furthermore, we know that the intestinal flora of vegetarians, vegans, and omnivores in industrialized countries is not significantly different.
However, changing your eating habits can lead to changes in your individual intestinal flora, which can potentially affect your overall health.
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6. Conclusion
The microbiome, as the totality of all microorganisms, is one of the most important entities within the human body. Despite its great relevance to our health and lifestyle, we still know very little about it.
Although our skin and oral mucosa also have their own microbiome, the gut microbiome is the focus of medical research. This is primarily because it fulfills numerous vital functions.
It is very important for the inhibition of inflammation, vitamin synthesis, detoxification, and fat metabolism. An imbalance in our individual intestinal flora can therefore have serious consequences for our health.
Meanwhile, pre-diabetes, colon cancer, and inflammatory diseases of old age, among others, are associated with changes in the intestinal microbiome.
In addition, there are implications that suggest that your psychological well-being and mental performance are also significantly influenced by the microbiome.
A healthy intestinal flora is therefore an important prerequisite for a healthy lifestyle, but at the same time it is also the result of such a lifestyle.
To strengthen your gut microbiome, you should diversify your diet and avoid drugs, alcohol, and antibiotics as much as possible. Some modern somatic clinics now even offer microbiome therapy, which specifically focuses on balancing the gut flora.
However, if in doubt, you are always on the safe side with a balanced diet rich in nutrients and fiber!
7. Sources
[1] Shreiner, AB; Kao, J.Y.; Young, VB (2015), The gut microbiome in health and in disease, Current Opinion in Gastroenterology, Volume 31, Issue 1, p. 69-75, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4290017/.
[2] Hills, R.D.; Pontefract, BA; [...]; Theberge, CR (2019), Gut Microbiome: Profound Implications for Diet and Disease, Nutrients, Volume 11, Issue 7, 1613, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6682904/.
[3] Mondo, E.; Barone, M.; [...]; Accorsi, PA (2020), Gut microbiome structure and adrenocortical activity in dogs with aggressive and phobic behavioral disorders, Volume 6, Issue 1, e03311, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6994854/.
[4] NIH HMP Working Group; Petersen, J.; [...]; Guyer, M. (2009), The NIH Human Microbiome Project, Genome Research, Volume 19, Issue 12, p. 2317-2323, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6391833/.
[5] Qin, J.; Li, R.; [...]; Wang, J. (2010), A human gut microbial gene catalog established by metagenomic sequencing, Nature: A Comparative Study, Volume 464, Issue 7285, p. 59-65https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20203603/.
