The Process and Motivation behind the Deprival of Nutrients for Intestinal Microbes
In the past, it was believed that the gut is an endless buffet for microorganisms, but recent research has debunked this notion, which is great news for us. According to Duke University School of Medicine, our bodies might be home to more bacteria than previously estimated.
In fact, an astonishing 40% of the cells in our bodies are microbial, and a significant portion of these reside in our gut. We have a symbiotic relationship with our gut bacteria. They significantly influence our health, both physical and mental, while also depending on our bodies to feed, live, and grow.
However, our bodies are quite adept at keeping these microorganisms in check by controlling their access to nutrients. In a study published in the journal Nature Microbiology, researchers found that bacteria in the human gut have access to approximately one nitrogen atom for every ten carbon atoms - far less than free-living microbes, who typically get one nitrogen atom for every four carbon atoms.
To validate their findings, the researchers conducted an experiment on mice. They observed that as they fed the mice higher protein diets, the number of gut bacteria increased, and when they administered nitrogen, some of it reached the gut bacteria, suggesting that our bodies secrete nitrogen via gut cells to feed the bacteria.
These findings support the idea that we have evolved a way to keep our bacteria under control by keeping them nitrogen-starved. Previous views regarding the human gut microbiome depicted it as an environment resembling Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory, with an abundance of food and resources. However, this study presents a different perspective.
In addition, excessive consumption of protein could potentially disrupt this delicate balance, as it saturates the host's ability to absorb nitrogen in the small intestine, causing more nitrogen to reach the large intestine and take away our control over our microbial communities.
The study's authors also delved into the dangers of using antibiotics to control bacteria. Another study by the same team, published in eLife, showed that the absence of bacteria leads to the accumulation of substances like nitrate and sulfate in the gut. When they stopped administering antibiotics, the gut re-established the microbial balance, but we don't yet fully understand what the ideal number of bacteria for the gut should be.
The subject of competition between the host and bacteria extends beyond the gut, as the rodents rely on each other’s feces to reacquire bacteria, a behavior humans are unlikely to adopt. When the microbiome is destabilized, pathogens are given an easier opportunity to take hold.
The researchers are currently investigating the influence of diet, specifically prebiotics and probiotics, on gut health. They believe that over the course of evolution, our bodies have figured out how to maintain the balance, but as modern-day researchers, they are still working to understand the right middle ground that keeps us there.
The symbiotic relationship between our bodies and gut bacteria significantly influences our health, including both physical and mental spheres, as they depend on our bodies for food, living, and growth. However, our bodies keep these microorganisms in check by controlling their access to nutrients, such as nitrogen, that are essential for their survival.
Excessive consumption of protein could potentially disrupt this delicate balance, as it saturates the host's ability to absorb nitrogen in the small intestine, causing more nitrogen to reach the large intestine and take away our control over our microbial communities. On the other hand, the use of antibiotics can lead to the accumulation of harmful substances like nitrate and sulfate in the gut, destabilizing the microbiome and providing an easier opportunity for pathogens to take hold.
As researchers continue to investigate the influence of diet, specifically prebiotics and probiotics, on gut health, it becomes clear that our bodies have evolved ways to maintain the balance over time, although the right middle ground for optimal gut health is still a topic of ongoing research in the field of health-and-wellness, nutrition, and fitness-and-exercise science.
