Gut Health

Gut health is an important aspect of our overall health and wellbeing. Emerging research suggests a link with many other aspects of health, such as immunity, mental wellness and preventing some illnesses.

The term ‘gut’ is used in many ways. It’s sometimes used to describe the stomach or belly. It may also be used to explain an instinctive reaction such as a ‘gut feeling’ or an emotional response like ‘feeling gutted’.

Medically, however, the gut refers to the digestive system – a long tube that breaks down food and drink into energy,nutrients and water, which keep our body functioning and healthy.

The journey begins in the mouth. Here, chewing breaks down food and mixes it with saliva, which contains digestive enzymes.

Then it moves through the oesophagus into the stomach where digestion continues.

Next, food enters the small intestine for the final stages of digestion. Nutrients are then absorbed into the blood.

Any undigested parts of food such as fibre and some starches that resist digestion(resistant starch) pass into the large intestine. This section of the digestive system absorbs water.

It also contains more than 100 trillion microbes, tiny microorganisms like bacteria, viruses and fungi that can only be seen under a microscope.

These microbes feed on the undigested material breaking it down further. The remaining waste then leaves the body through the anus as faeces (poo) when we go to the toilet.

While the term ‘gut’ technically covers the entire digestive system, it’s often used to refer to just the large intestine.

In the past few decades, scientists have found the microbes living in our large intestine may help keep us healthy.

These microbes are mainly made up of bacteria, with some viruses and fungi. Collectively, they are known as the gut microbiota.

The environment they live in – the large intestine – is called the gut microbiome.

It’s thought around 3,000 species of bacteria may potentially be present in the gut, though only 100-150 species live there at any one time. With so many different species and possible combinations of bacteria, everyone’s gut microbiota is unique. There’s no perfect or ideal composition. It’s the diversity and balance of beneficial or good bacteria that’s seems to be important for a healthy gut microbiota.

If this balance is upset though, research suggests our health could suffer in various ways.

Gut bacteria benefits

The microbes in our gut have many important roles…

They support digestion – beneficial bacteria feed on fibre and resistant starch in a process called fermentation.

This helps to break them down so waste products leave the body easily and smoothly.

They produce beneficial compounds – when fermentation takes place, beneficial compounds can be produced. For example, ‘short-chain fatty acids’ (SCFA), which can help to keep the gut lining healthy and reduce inflammation.

They support the immune system – around three quarters of our immune system is in the gut. Beneficial bacteria help to develop and support this, for example, by killing harmful bacteria.

They produce vitamins – we get vitamins from our diet, but beneficial bacteria in our gut also make some. This includes B vitamins, which help to combat tiredness and fatigue, and vitamin K, important for blood clotting.

They talk to the brain – research suggests there’s a communication pathway between our brain and gut. This works in both directions

and is sometimes called the gut-brain axis. Early studies suggest a healthy balance of gut bacteria may affect our mental wellbeing, perhaps even protecting against conditions like anxiety and depression. However, more research is needed to understand how the brain and gut communicate, and the effect this may have on mental health.

They help keep us healthy – as well as supporting our immune system, beneficial bacteria crowd out harmful bacteria that cause disease.

Research also shows less variety and an imbalance in gut bacteria may be linked with conditions like type 2 diabetes, obesity, heart disease, some cancers, liver disease, dementia, and bowel diseases. However, more research is needed before we can say changes in our gut microbiota directly cause illness.

Water is essential for our digestive system. It helps nutrients to be digested and absorbed. It acts as a lubricant to help food move through the digestive tract. In the large intestine, water softens the stools so they’re easier to pass. Without enough water, stools can become hard and dry.

This is why a lack of fluid can contribute to constipation.

To stay hydrated, a general guide is to drink 6-8 glasses of fluids a day. The exact amount we need depends on our body size, gender, age, and how much we sweat, which can be influenced by exercising, hot weather, menopausal flushes or having a fever. Breastfeeding, medications with a diuretic effect, and illnesses that cause diarrhoea, sickness or increased urination (such as uncontrolled diabetes), also mean the body loses fluid, which need replacing.

Checking our urine is the best way to tell if we are hydrated. While some foods, medicines and supplements can affect the colour, urine that’s pale and odourless generally means we are hydrated. Dark urine with a strong odour indicates we need to drink more.

Feeling thirsty is a sign of dehydration, so it’s especially important to drink. All fluids (except alcohol) count towards fluid needs.

Probiotics are sometimes described as ‘good’ or ‘friendly’ bacteria that help to support a healthy balance of bacteria in the large intestine or gut.

Foods that contain probiotics include yogurt and fermented milk drinks. Probiotics are also available in supplements as tablets, sachets or capsules.

On ingredients lists, probiotics are labelled with the specific bacteria they contain such as Lactobacillus casei (L.casei) or Bifidobacterium lactis (B.lactis).

Prebiotics and probiotics work together to support gut health. Prebiotics provide food for the beneficial bacteria in the gut, while probiotics are the beneficial bacteria​.

Synbiotics are combinations of prebiotics and probiotics that work together or in synergy to support gut health. The probiotic part increases beneficial gut bacteria, while the prebiotic part helps to feed these beneficial bacteria.

Synbiotics are usually available in supplement form.

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