Role of Gut Microbiota in Human Health and Diseases

Every human body has a gut microbiome, which is a complex collection of microorganisms that live in the digestive tracts. The composition of the gut flora changes over time, when diet changes, overall health changes. Intestinal flora hosts more amounts of the microbes when compared to stomach flora as it is less vulnerable to the acidity of the gastric mucosa. Intestinal flora plays a major role in balancing the immune function as well as metabolic homeostasis, regulating inflammation, increasing mineral bioavailability, synthesizing neurotransmitters, regulating appetite and blood sugar and protecting against pathogens. Dysbiosis in the gut leads to various gastrointestinal disorders like inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, peptic ulcer, metabolic syndromes like obesity, diabetes and various neurological disorders like autism, multiple sclerosis. Therefore, the complete wellness of our body is dependent on the microbial composition of the gut. Probiotics and prebiotic foods can add as a key element supplementing the wellness of our body.