How and why to take care of your gut microbiota and maintain intestinal comfort by consuming probiotics
Our gut is our second brain!
Did you know that more than 60 million people in France suffer from digestive problems? The intestines, often called the "second brain", are essential for good health and the proper functioning of our body.
This comparison with the brain is not a mere expression; it is based on solid scientific arguments. Indeed, the gut possesses a complex nervous system, called the "enteric nervous system," which is unique to it and allows for interaction between the gut microbiota and our brain.
What is the enteric nervous system?
Many people in France suffer from digestive problems every year. The intestines are indeed essential for our good health and for the proper functioning of our body. But are you aware of their role as a second brain?
This concept, supported by scientific evidence, is based on the fact that the gut possesses its own complex neural network, the enteric nervous system. There is therefore a bidirectional communication, known as the gut-brain axis, between our gut and our brain. This communication occurs via the vagus nerve and through blood molecules produced by the gut microbiota. Thus, this relationship can influence the functioning of both the gut and the brain and play a role in regulating our appetite and emotions.
Regular digestive problems, chronic pain, or even mental health issues can result from gut dysfunction. It's therefore important to take care of your gut microbiota to avoid these kinds of consequences. There are several ways to improve and maintain gut health, such as a proper diet, physical exercise, and dietary supplements. In this article, we explain how to benefit from these different strategies.
What roles does the intestine play?
The intestines are a vital part of the digestive tract, serving as both digestive and absorptive organs. They consist of the small intestine and the colon, both essential for proper digestion and nutrient absorption. The small intestine can reach up to six meters in length and is composed of folds that increase its surface area for absorption, allowing it to absorb digested nutrients. The colon, also known as the large intestine, is short and wide and performs two main functions: it dehydrates and expels fecal matter, and it contains the largest number of intestinal microorganisms. These microorganisms are able to utilize and utilize nutrients that were not absorbed by the small intestine and produce molecules that regulate the proper functioning of the body. This is why the intestines are so important for overall well-being and health.
Gut flora or microbiota? What are we talking about?
Today, we use the term gut microbiota to refer to what was formerly called gut flora . The gut microbiota has been the subject of numerous studies in recent years and is recognized as playing a crucial role in our health and well-being. It comprises approximately 10^14 microorganisms (100 trillion), representing over 2 kg of bacteria in our intestines, and is considered the body's second brain, acting like a nervous system and contributing significantly to our immune system. The gut microbiota plays a fundamental role in digestion and energy production and has been linked to numerous diseases and conditions, including diabetes, obesity, and chronic inflammatory diseases. Therefore, maintaining a healthy and balanced gut microbiota is important to prevent these diseases and conditions.
This microbiota has a symbiotic relationship with our body and actively contributes to its proper functioning, being even essential for it. It develops from birth and is influenced by the microbiota of our parents (especially that of our mother and by the mode of delivery), by our environment, and by our daily diet.
Thanks to this interaction, the gut microbiota improves the digestibility of nutrients that we wouldn't be able to absorb on our own. For example, it almost completely transforms dietary fiber . Furthermore, it produces vitamin K, which the liver needs to produce essential elements like leucine, used to build muscle.
It also plays an immune role . Indeed, when the microbiota is healthy, it helps fight pathogenic bacteria that can cause illness by preventing them from colonizing the gut. Furthermore, it stimulates the immune system by interacting with immune cells and maintains intestinal permeability by blocking the passage of harmful molecules into the body.
What is dysbiosis? Why is it important to preserve your microbiota?
The gut microbiota is key to the proper functioning of our intestines, as it contributes to optimal digestion and helps prevent deficiencies and disorders. However, it is possible for the microbiota to become altered, a condition known as dysbiosis. Dysbiosis is an imbalance in the different species of bacteria that make up the microbiota. This imbalance leads to altered functions and behavior of the microbiota, which contributes to the development of pathologies or functional disorders of the intestine.
Several factors can contribute to the development of dysbiosis, including:
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Infections
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Aging
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Drug treatments such as antibiotics, psychotropic drugs, or chemotherapy treatments
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Nutritionally poor quality food
Some intestinal disorders or pathologies are linked to the microbiota.
Dysbiosis is a problem that must be avoided. The disruption of the microbiota has repercussions on the body.
It has indeed been shown that dysbiosis, or an alteration of the microbiota balance, can cause or be linked to certain pathologies and disorders such as:
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An increase in intestinal permeability
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Functional bowel disorders (such as irritable bowel syndrome)
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Sleep disturbances
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Some psychiatric illnesses
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Metabolic diseases such as obesity and diabetes
What can be done to maintain a healthy microbiota and avoid dysbiosis?
Several relatively simple measures allow you to take care of your gut microbiota "naturally." These measures are mostly related to lifestyle and diet: simply put, you need to take care of yourself and pay attention to eating a healthy and balanced diet. To complement this approach, you can use probiotics (the use of the term "probiotic" is now authorized in France, and specific claims related to probiotics have been validated).
Pay attention to the quality of your sleep
A bidirectional link between gut microbiota and sleep has been demonstrated. Poor sleep quality can lead to an imbalance in gut microbiota, while an imbalanced gut microbiota can cause sleep disturbances. Therefore, it is important to address both aspects to maintain good health.
Engage in physical activity
Physical activity has an impact on the gut flora; people who engage in regular physical activity have a better quality gut flora than sedentary people.
Adjusting your diet
A balanced diet rich in dietary fiber is essential for maintaining a healthy gut microbiota. Dietary fiber is a prebiotic that feeds beneficial bacteria. It is also recommended to consume lacto-fermented foods such as sauerkraut, pickles, yogurt, miso, or kefir, which have effects similar to those of probiotics.
Consume probiotics
Probiotics are live microorganisms that, when ingested in sufficient quantities, have beneficial effects on health. They can improve intestinal comfort, protect the gut flora during drug or antibiotic treatment, boost the immune system, and reduce the risk of colonization by pathogenic bacteria.
The term probiotic is now authorized in France and can be used for certain food supplements.
It is important to choose high-quality probiotics that are well-suited to your needs. It is recommended to consult a healthcare professional to choose the right probiotic and determine the appropriate dosage.
What is a probiotic?
Probiotics have been defined in particular by the WHO: "probiotics are live microorganisms which, when ingested in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit beyond traditional nutritional effects".
The goal of consuming probiotics is to provide beneficial bacteria to our body that will settle in the gut and produce a positive effect.
To be effective, probiotics must be taken regularly, be composed of effective strains and in sufficient numbers (several billion, or ideally several tens of billion per dose).
It is crucial that probiotics are perfectly preserved until they reach the intestines: if they are destroyed by stomach acid, they will be useless. For optimal effectiveness, it is best to consume probiotics packaged in protective capsules that resist stomach acid.
To facilitate their implantation, development and effectiveness, prebiotics can be added along with probiotics.
Probiotics, when of good quality, can help support digestive health and maintain the balance of the intestinal flora.
Which probiotic strain should I choose?
At Phytocea, we can only recommend our own criteria for choosing a probiotic food supplement:
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Formula with known and recognized strains
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A sufficient shadow of CFUs (colony-forming units): several billion
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Capsules that protect the integrity of probiotics by allowing them to resist stomach acidity.
How to maintain your gut flora with Phytocea?
At Phytocea , we have developed a high-quality probiotic food supplement: Flore Daily .
Flore Daily is a probiotic food supplement containing 11 different strains, including Lactobacillus , Bifidobacterium lactis , and an Enterococcus strain. Flore Daily is among the probiotic supplements with the highest CFU content (50 billion). We have chosen a gastro-resistant vegetable capsule to best protect our probiotics.
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