Gut Flora: 6 Ways How Gut Flora Affects Your Overall Health

The human body is full of bacteria, and when we say bacteria we are not just referring to viruses and infections. Bacteria are usually seen as something which is bad for health. But that's not true; not all bacteria are harmful, some are important for a good state of health. The trillions of bacteria present in the human body are known as gut flora and can have a deep impact on your overall health depending on the condition of the bacteria present within. Research suggests that the composition of your gut flora can have an impact on your risk of diabetes, colon cancer, depression and obesity. Yes, that's how important gut flora is for your overall health. The gut flora is made up of good bacteria and bad bacteria. Doctors say that ideally, it should be 80% good bacteria and 20% bad bacteria. In this article, we shall discuss how an imbalance between these ratios can affect your overall health.

Let's take a closer look at how your gut flora can affect your overall health.

1. Digestion

This one is quite obvious. Your gut health is extremely crucial for your digestive system. When the bad bacteria ratio increases and the good bacteria decreases, it disturbs regular bowel movements. One of the most common bowel disorders is IBS or irritable bowel syndrome. Doctors say that gut flora plays an important role here. All-in-all, your digestive system gets disturbed.

2. Immunity

80% of your body's immune system is present in your gut and that is why your gut flora has a deep impact on your overall immunity. If your gut bacteria are well-balanced, you will have strong body immunity. However, if your gut flora is disturbed, you become more vulnerable to diseases. This includes cases when you catch a cold even if someone sitting across you sneezes once. If you feel that you are more vulnerable to the flu and other diseases, chances are that your gut flora is unbalanced. Good bacteria are easy to kill which is why bad bacteria take on your immune system so fast. Therefore, you must try to keep your gut flora in a good state of health.

3. Mood problems and mental health

The gut is sometimes referred as the second brain. This is why people use phrases like, 'I have a gut feeling about this'. The intestinal wall is lined with millions of neurons. These produce neurotransmitters like serotonin, a hormone which regulates your mood. Balanced gut flora is linked to less anxiety and a happier mood. For this, a study was conducted where healthy women were given fermented milk. Some women were given probiotic ingested milk and the others were given regular milk. Then they were shown pictures depicting various emotions. The two groups gave completely different reactions to the pictures. The group which was given probiotic drinks gave lesser emotional responses as compared to the other group.

4. Body weight

An unbalanced gut flora is linked to obesity. This is because most of the beneficial bacteria are present in your intestines. When the bad bacteria take over the good bacteria, it is known as dysbiosis and can contribute to weight gain. One of the best ways of restoring good gut flora is consuming probiotics. Though their effect on weight loss may not be very significant, it can still be helpful.

Also read: These Homemade Fermented Probiotic Drinks Are Best For Your Health

5. Skin

This one may come to you by surprise but your skin health is also influenced by your gut flora. Multiple studies suggest that a disturbed gut flora contributes to blemishes, acne, eczema and other skin problems.

6. Blood sugar control

A healthy and balanced gut flora can contribute to better blood sugar control in diabetics. A study showed that the composition of gut bacteria can affect a person's risk of type 1 and type 2 diabetes. It may even affect the risk of the onset of type 1 diabetes in children.

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.