Gut Talk

In early April, the Nutrition Society of Malaysia launched the Probiotics Education Programme (PEP) to promote greater awareness on the importance of digestive health via a combination of good dietary and lifestyle habits (the former includes the incorporation of probiotics into one’s diet). HealthToday was right there during the launch, and we’re glad to share some words of wisdom from the expert speakers with you.

- Lim Teck Choon

WELCOME TO THE GUT, POPULATION 100 TRILLION

The most populated city in the world, Guangzhou, has over 14 million people, and the population of the world is estimated to reach nearly 10 billion by 2050. If you think these figures are big, consider this: it is estimated that we have about 100 trillion microorganisms living in our digestive system, mostly in our large intestine. And just like the population of the world, these microorganisms come in different types: these 100 trillion are made up of about 1,000 different species.

No, it’s not because our food is contaminated or that we have been somehow infected. The microorganism population – also known as the gut microbiota – occurs naturally, as our guests move in from our mother’s digestive system via methods such as breast milk and skin-to-skin contact. By the time we are three years old, we will have gut microbiota that will remain more or less stable for the rest of our lives.

But Are They Nice Guests?

With so many types of bacteria living in our gut, we are bound to have some that will provide us with certain health benefits, while others can cause trouble. The key here is balance – as long as there are more of the helpful types living in our gut, their benefits can counter or minimize the problems caused by the not-so-helpful types.

Good Things Happen When the Balance Is Right

Better bowel movement.

The gut microbiota helps to ensure proper gut movement and digestive function.

Production of important nutrients. Some of the helpful microorganisms produce certain vitamins such as vitamins B12 and K.

Helps improve the digestion of our foods. Our body may not be able to digest all of the components in the foods we eat; the gut microbiota can help by breaking down some of these indigestible components.