The gut flora is an amazing display of trans-kingdom symbiosis as gut bacteria cooperate with their animal hosts to regulate the development and function of the immune, metabolic and nervous systems through a dynamic two-way communication along the "gut-brain axis".
These processes may affect human health, as certain human behaviours appear to correlate with the composition of gut bacteria, and alterations in microbial communities with various neurological disorders.
Body-microbiota interactions are fundamental to the development of the immune system. Drastic changes in modern environments and lifestyles have led to an imbalance in this evolutionarily ancient process, coinciding with a sharp increase in immune-mediated diseases such as autoimmune, allergic and chronic inflammatory disorders.
Factors such as antibiotics, diet, physical activity, mood, contact with the environment and social relationships, among others, will condition the composition and state of the microbiota and the immune system of each individual. In fact, everything produced by the microbiota reaches the immune, nervous and endocrine cells in the gut. These cells will modify their production of cytokines, neurotransmitters and hormones, and in this dialogue all the cells of the organism will be influenced, including our brain, for the worse in the event of deficiencies of these bacterial colonies that inhabit us.
These gut micro-organisms are capable of producing a range of hormones and neurotransmitters that affect immune cells. They influence our body's oxidative and inflammatory control, two of the factors that gradually age us. In fact, it is known that microorganisms in the microbiota have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, thanks to the mediators they produce and the increase they generate of these types of compounds in other cells in the body, and can therefore extend or shorten our lives.
Variations and changes in the composition of the gut microbiota influence normal physiology and contribute to diseases ranging from inflammation to obesity. The gut microbiota communicates with the brain through neural, endocrine and immune pathways and influences brain function and behaviour. And in the regulation of anxiety, mood, cognition and pain.
The gut microbiota mediates a number of physiological and pathological processes, including local nutrient absorption and lipid metabolism, as well as activation of gut-associated immune systems. Dysbiosis or depletion of commensal bacteria, which occurs with poor diet, sedentary lifestyle and increasing age, has also been shown to affect excitability and neurochemical coding and can manifest in behavioural or cognitive disorders. It affects the physiology of all tissues.
The probiotics and prebiotics can be effective, improving the microbiota, alleviating symptoms of common diseases in old age, but also showing a preventive capacity, maintaining health and providing increased quality of life and healthy longevity.
Probiotics can be an important aid in the treatment of a range of pathologies, especially by decreasing the inflammatory response in the intestinal mucosa and associated immunosenescence and neurological impairment. Improvements in immune status following ingestion of certain strains of bifidobacteria and lactobacilli. These bacteria are found in dairy products, and by no means in the foolishness of confusing them with the misnamed plant milks, which we should take the trouble to read the contents of such aguachirles.
Some probiotics have also been found to be effective in improving sleep, memory, pain perception and certain cognitive functions that deteriorate with ageing. These effects are due to the ability of such probiotics to improve the functioning of the homeostatic, immune, endocrine and nervous systems.
A prebiotic: oats. Regulates blood sugar levels. Thus, a breakfast consisting of natural oatmeal, with nothing added (good carbohydrates) can help to reduce blood glucose levels throughout the day. Because of the amount of fibre it contains, it will allow us to "feed" our intestinal bacteria.
Fibre for them is present in other foods such as apples, pulses and other fruits, vegetables and nuts.
Fourthly, oats are rich in protein and are therefore very important for strengthen and care for bones, muscles and skin.
The heart
From a cardiological point of view, diet and lifestyle are key to good cardiovascular health and are becoming increasingly important. "Gut bacteria are capable of producing substances that regulate cardiovascular balance, so a heart-healthy diet ensures a good gut microbiota," he says. Julián Pérez Villacastíndirector of the Cardiovascular Institute of the Hospital Clínico de Madrid. Alteration of the gut microbiota is associated with the development of heart failure.
"It has now been confirmed that the intestinal changes predate the development of the cardiac manifestations, implying that changes in the gut microbiota may be a cause of heart failure".
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José Antonio Rodríguez Piedrabuena
Specialist in psychiatry, management training, group and couple therapies.