Gut Health and Immunity

Intestinal microbiota, or gut flora, and the gut barrier determine gut health. Inside our gut, there are about 100 trillion live microorganisms that promote normal GI function, protect the body from infection, and regulate metabolism and the mucosal immune system. In fact, they comprise more than 75% of the immune system. An intact GI barrier maintains gut health, while dysbiosis of microbiota will affect the body’s defense systems and can create a condition known as leaky gut syndrome, which can compromise gut health and lead to diseases such as inflammatory breast cancer, obesity, chronic fatigue syndrome, and depression.

^aGI, gastrointestinal; IBD, inflammatory bowel disease; IgA, immunoglobulin A.

^aGI, gastrointestinal; ICU, intensive care unit.

 

Reference

1. Zhang YJ, Li S, Gan RY, Zhou T, Xu DP, Li HB. Impacts of Gut Bacteria on Human Health and Diseases. Int J Mol Sci. 2015; 16: 7493-519.
2. Bischoff SC. ‘Gut health’: a new objective in medicine? BMC Med. 2011;9:24.