What is the gut microbiome?

Published 2024-03-26

In this video Dr. Miriam, our regenerative and family doctor, gives a brief introduction to understanding your gut microbiome and why we care so much about it. This is the first video of a series of videos going over how your microbiome works, why it’s important, and how you can optimize it so you feel your best.

The gut microbiome refers to the complex community of microorganisms residing in the gastrointestinal tract, primarily in the intestines. Composed of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other microscopic organisms, the gut microbiome plays a pivotal role in various physiological functions, including digestion, nutrient absorption, and immune system regulation. It forms a symbiotic relationship with the human body, influencing overall health and well-being.

A more recent catch all that has become popular in demonstrating this is “Leaky Gut Syndrome”. Leaky gut occurs when small holes form in the intentional walls, allowing for small irritants to infiltrate the bloodstream from the gut. Because the bloodstream interacts with almost every portion of the body, Leaky Gut can potentially cause harm and side effects to every portion of the body.

Leaky gut is a problem that affects most people, even though it might not be diagnosed or even understood. Though it affects millions of people everyday, most of the time the symptoms can be so mild that no other action is taken to correct it. The dangers of not addressing it is that Leaky Gut can cause problems with so many things outside of digestion, including the brain.

Brain inflammation is one of the more serious results of Leaky Gut, and can create several problems which a lot of the time won’t be associated with having complications in the digestive tract.

Dr. Miriam also spends time briefly going over a recent study that shows that properly maintaining the gut microbiome has produced positive results for those with autism. An Arizona State University double-blind clinical trial explored how balancing the bacteria in the gut microbiome can mitigate some of the effects that autism commonly presents.

If you have any questions for Dr. Miriam, call Innate Healthcare at 602.603.3118 or check out InnateHealthcare.org

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