Improvements in the Gut Microbiome
The gut microbiome consists of billions of bacteria that are crucial to digestion and metabolism. They also generate vitamins that the body can consume. The production of neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine, chemical messengers between cells, also involves certain microorganisms in the gut. The human body stores around 50 percent of its dopamine and 90 to 95 percent of its serotonin in the intestines. The neurotransmitter serotonin has a role in controlling breathing, digestion, behavior, and nerve activity. This means that GI health directly impacts these hormones’ regulation.
Moreover, the condition of a person’s digestive tract is closely tied to what they eat. A poor diet abundant in processed foods, fatty foods, and refined carbohydrates may promote the growth of dangerous bacteria in the stomach. Sucrose changes the microbiome’s makeup, benefiting disease-causing bacteria at the expense of those supporting the immune system. When these immune cells weaken, cardiometabolic diseases like diabetes are more likely to set in. Due to their proximity to the gut lining, filamentous bacteria are stunted in growth when the lining is damaged by excessive sugar consumption, which promotes inflammation. On the contrary, cutting added or refined sugar in the diet can help restore the gut microbiome’s health.
