What Is Gut Health And Why Is It Important For Us?

What is gut health and why is it important?

The seven-metre tube known as your gut is a hugely important part of your body – and not just for its role in digestion. It’s home to a whopping 100 million neurons and produces over 90% of your body’s serotonin [1].

So, maintaining good gut health is really important. Let’s look at the ways in which you can support your gut health, how this will help your body, and what to look out for when it comes to spotting the symptoms of poor gut health.

What makes a healthy gut?

Every adult human has over 10 trillion microbes, largely bacteria, in their gut (that’s 15,000 times more than the number of people on Earth!), which are known collectively as your ‘gut microbiome’. It might be strange to think about so many bacteria living in your gut, but don’t worry, they have an important purpose and have lots of useful functions that are beneficial for your health.

Diverse gut, healthy gut

Scientists believe that the diversity of your gut microbiome plays a role in your overall gut health – in other words, it’s important to have lots of different species of bacteria working away in your gut [2]. A nice diverse gut microbiome can support your immune system by preventing pathogens from growing [3].

How gut health helps your body

Supporting your gut health through diet and lifestyle is important, because of the key role the gut plays in your digestion and metabolism. Your gut’s main job is to digest food, absorb nutrients and excrete waste [4]. But the gut has a lot more tricks up its sleeve than that.
For starters, 70-80% of immune system cells are found in the gut [5]. That means that looking after your gut can support the normal function of your all-important immune system, helping it to do its job of keeping you healthy.

Then there’s the ‘gut-brain’ axis, which is a way to describe the connection between – you guessed it – your gut and your brain. Recent research has found that through the gut-brain axis, your gut health may influence your mood, cognition and mental health [6].

With all the important roles that your gut has to play in your overall health, it’s a good idea to get clued up with the information you need on how to take care of your gut.

What factors affect your gut health?

Your gut microbiome can be affected by lots of things, some of which you can control, and some of which you can’t [7]. From dietary factors to your DNA, let’s dig into what’s behind our gut health.

Genetics

By studying identical twins, researchers know that our genetic makeup plays an important part in the types and amounts of different bacteria found in our gut [8].
But you do still have some control. The very same researchers found that our individual environments (made up of factors like your diet) have an even bigger impact on gut health.

Diet

It’s probably not surprising that one of the biggest factors that affects your gut health is what you eat. The types of food you eat help to determine which types of bacteria can thrive, and in turn support your gut health [9].

There’s a particularly strong link between gut health and the amount of fibre in your diet. This is because fibre can be fermented in your gut by ‘friendly’ microbes to produce useful compounds your body can utilise, like short-chain fatty acids [10].

Experts suggest getting lots of different sources of fibre (like fruits, veg, whole grains, nuts, seeds and legumes) into your diet to promote the diversity of the gut microbiome [11].

On the other hand, foods that are high in fats like processed meat or fried foods can be harder to digest and could lead to gut issues like indigestion, so it’s a good idea to limit your intake of these in order to look after and maintain your gut health [12].

Medications

Lots of medications, including proton pump inhibitors (used to treat conditions like acid reflux), antibiotics and laxatives, can all affect the type of bacteria living in your gut and how well they function [13]. In turn, the bacteria in your gut can also impact the effectiveness of some medications [14].

If you’re worried about the link between any medications you’re taking and your gut health, always check this with your GP who will be able to provide individualised advice.

Stress

A little bit of stress in day-to-day life is to be expected, like when you miss the bus or sit in traffic on the school run or have several deadlines to meet at work. But too much stress, and prolonged periods of stress, can start to have a negative impact on your gut health.

When we’re stressed, our bodies produce a hormone called ‘cortisol’. High levels of cortisol can weaken the lining of your gut, allowing bacteria to ‘leak’ out and cause inflammation [9]. So, to support a healthy gut, try to find healthy ways to manage your stress, such as regular exercise, getting outdoors, and practicing relaxation exercises, such as meditation or mindfulness

Lack of sleep

Most of us know from experience that a lack of sleep can play havoc with our concentration and energy levels. But did you know that poor sleep could also be linked to poor gut health?

Researchers have found that people who get less sleep also have a less diverse gut microbiome. This could be related to levels of small proteins called ‘cytokines’ which are linked to both sleep quality and gut microbiome diversity [15]. So, to help support gut health, you might want to put getting a good night’s sleep at the top of your priority list.

Environmental factors

Factors in our environment can really impact and disrupt our microbiomes.
Chemicals found in alcohol, cigarettes, and even pollutants in the air we breathe can all have an effect on how diverse and effective our gut and stomach bacteria are [16].

Age

When you’re born, there aren’t nearly as many different types of microbes living in your gut as there are when you’re an adult. The gut microbiome is built up in the first few years of life, is most stable when you reach adulthood [17] and becomes less diverse again in old age [18]. That’s why it’s really important to support your gut health as you age, to support microbiome diversity and help your body fight off diseases [3].

Signs of an unhealthy gut

Wondering how your gut health measures up? Here are just some of the signs to look out for that may be symptoms of poor gut health.

• Constipation and bloating. Stomach issues like bloating and constipation are some of the most obvious signs of an unhealthy gut. They could be occurring due to a lack of fibre in your diet, so try to pack in more fruit, veg and whole grains, along with plenty of fluid [19]. But it’s also a good idea to increase your fibre intake gradually, or that in itself can cause bloating and gas.

• Unintentional weight loss. If you’re losing weight without meaning to, it could be a sign of poor gut health, gastrointestinal disease [20], or something serious like cancer. If you’re concerned about unintentional fluctuations in your weight, speak to your GP.

If you notice any of these signs of an unhealthy gut, or just want to know how to look after and maintain your gut microbiome, read our top tips to support your gut health.

How can yogurt help support your gut health?

Yogurts are sources of calcium. Calcium is well known for helping to maintain healthy bones and teeth, but it also supports the function of digestive enzymes, which are important for normal digestion.

Yogurts can be a delicious way to support your gut health as part of a varied, balanced diet and healthy lifestyle.

As we’ve seen, a healthy gut is key to supporting your overall well-being, so be sure to show yours some love and it will help you feel good from the inside out!

Reviewed on May 2024 - Authored by Dr. Zoe Williams