Though the facts have been known for centuries in a row, it’s only recently that gut microbiome has taken center stage in health circles. Modern science has enlightened people about the presence of trillions of microbes, parasites, fungi, and bacteria in their bodies, specifically in the gut. Contrary to what most of us know or believe, human microflora does not reside only in the gut. It can be found in small and large numbers in most body tissues as well. The reality is that when you are enjoying optimal health conditions, in all likelihood, you are coexisting with your microbiome happily.
Here, we intend to throw light on how the human body plays host to microflora and why it’s important to keep testing gut health. Read on to listen to your gut and ensure its proper health.
Human Microbiome Health
In recent years, plentiful lab tests and research projects are underway for cataloging and understanding the way microbiome resides in the lungs, urogenital tract, mouth, skin, blood, gut, and mouth of humans. According to the information shared in this article https://microbeformulas.com/blogs/microbe-formulas/are-gut-microbiome-tests-accurate-or-worth-it about microbiome tests, scientists are engaged in different endeavors for knowing the determinants of good gut health. The tests usually deal with advanced sequencing tools to explore the normal and abnormal microbiome present in human tissue and organs.
Along with understanding the basics of proper gut health through lab-based research and tests, scientists are also working on the means of restoring proper balance once microbial communities get disrupted.
The most complicated and largest microbiome belongs to the GI tract that’s known to contain as many as 1,000 microbial cells in each gram of stool. A lot of research is left for understanding how gut microbiome works and influences the illness and health of humans. For instance, the gut flora environment can be analyzed for poor digestion and inflammation.
Importance of Microbiome Tests
Several microbiome tests are utilized widely by health practitioners who are involved in the fields of functional or integrative medicine. The good thing about these tests is that a doctor’s prescription is not needed for conducting them (most of the time). The tests are simple and user-friendly. For instance, you may have come across a microbiome test that requires the collection of fecal swabs before the results can be researched further in a laboratory. The challenge lies in understanding the significance of healthy microbial mix in the human gut. Thankfully, to a very large extent, microbiome tests succeed in paving the way forward for nutritionists and health experts.
What to Look for in Microbiome Test Results?
Before you invest in microbiome tests, it would help to understand what your doctor would be looking for when the results are delivered. The main points of consideration include the development and overgrowth of fungi, bacteria, and parasites. Additionally, the test results help in finding the presence of inflammation and leaky gut. It is also possible to detect incomplete digestion of proteins, fats, and starches via these tests. The gut microbiome tests recommended by health experts can also be used for measuring the molecules linked to healthy immune responses, measurement of stool pH, and the incidence of short-chain fatty acids that are related to gut health.
Approaches to Microbiome Tests
Mass spectrometry technique is a sophisticated test that incorporates the first ‘stool culture’ to detect and measure the quantum of chemical species for determining their nature and type. There is another popular test method that’s referred to as PCR technology. This method of microbiome test is used for sequencing and identifying the DNA constitution of the organisms present in the gut. As these tests are usually expensive and may cost hundreds of dollars, it’s important to know whether they are covered by your insurance company or not.
What is Healthy Microbiome?
Gut microbiome testing is a helpful means of getting answers to why your gut and other body organs may be behaving adversely. Remember, as your health is established and regulated by the microbiota, it is critical that you know more about the healthy microbiome. When the microbes in your gut environment are healthy, they regulate your immune system fitfully. Along with influencing different metabolic activities, the microbiome impacts the proper absorption and digestion of nutrients to promote good health.
On the other hand, if you are suffering from the presence of an unhealthy microbiome then it may lead to cancer, inflammatory bowel diseases, diabetes, obesity, autoimmune disorders, liver disease, asthma, and a spate of other health conditions. Given the different areas of concern that may arise because of the unhealthy microbiome, you may want to invest in microbiome testing. The ‘results’ are certainly worth the cause and show you the way forward for managing your gut health better.
An unhealthy and gut may bring forth negative changes in your brain. In extreme conditions, the gray matter of your brain may start deteriorating; thereby leading to depression, anxiety, and a series of nerve disorders. Laying a focus on the microbiome and GI tract can explain the reasons behind cognitive/memory issues, brain fog, and other problems related to gut health. The unhealthy microbiome also has the potential of impacting your genetics negatively. Therefore, it is very important to restore your gut health and microbiome at the earliest by going through some important tests to understand what lies in store.
What Can Go Wrong?
The little organisms present in your gut perform a number of functions that are not possible through any other means.
These include:
- The synthesis of different amino acids and vitamins
- Transformation of bile into a potent health-giving chemical termed as TUDCA
- Production of digestive enzymes for breaking down food and providing the energy required by your body to function without any problems
- The synthesis of short-chain fatty acids and chemical constituents
- Antimicrobial protection to alleviate the concerns of dangerous microbes
- Prevention of allergies and support for the immune system
- Production of hormones and neurotransmitters that impact your memory and mood
- Synthesis of sleep-generating hormones
The vital role played by the gut microbiome cannot be debated. It’s time to get yourself acquainted with the functions of the microbiome to keep it in good order.
Why is Microbiome Research Important?
Once any new microbe is discovered, it brings with it a plethora of questions. Interested parties want to know what the microbe does, the sort of effect it has on genes, the nature of interaction with other microbes, and so forth. Alongside, there are questions related to whether the organism was already discovered or is new, the utility of the microbe, etc. advanced research leads to further understanding and unpacking of knowledge to help health experts in their field of study. You’ll always find a scramble for new data to know how the health of humans can be impacted.
Know the “Good Microbes”
It’s common for people to categorize anything related to their health into “good” and “bad” boxes. The same is true for microbes, parasites, bacteria, and fungi. The categorization of the microbiome can be performed basis the impact specific microbes have on human health. However, it’s important to understand which microbe is good for your health though it may not be the same for someone else. Typically, the right mix of microbiome is different for different people. While some microbes are perfect for all concerned, there’s unexpected diversity with respect to others.
Way Forward
You may want to discuss your gut health with health practitioners and nutritionists before it’s too late. Perform the prescribed and other tests to ascertain your gut health and get on top of microbial issues at the earliest to disallow further complications.