How can our microbiome affect Crohns and Colitis?
Did you know that our gut is full of trillions of tiny microbes - bacteria, yeast, and even viruses and parasites?
These microbes help to keep us healthy. I’m particularly fascinated by the microbes that live in our digestive systems and how they may be involved in inflammatory bowel disease.
There is a common misconception that all bacteria, fungi and yeast are bad, but we all have these, and they are found in our gut, on our skin and in a number of other places in the body. Together these microbes make up our microbiota; the grand total of all the bacteria living on and in us.
How can our microbiome affect inflammatory bowl disease?
Currently, researchers have three hypotheses when it comes to our microbes and their causative role in Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative colitis, although these three theories are not mutually exclusive:
The persistent pathogen theory – this theory hypothesizes IBD may be caused by persistent infection of a microbe that can cause disease like Clostridium difficile.
The excessive bacterial translocation theory – this theory suggests the excessive movement of intestinal bacteria through the lining of the intestine, where it is not meant to be, is a cause of IBD.
The dysbiosis theory – this theory hypothesizes that a shift of balance between “beneficial” vs. “detrimental” bacteria in the intestines can cause IBD.
Although dysbiosis (imbalance of the microbes that live within us) in inflammatory bowel disease has not yet been proven to be a cause or an effect of the diseases, many believe that at least some alteration in our microbiome is protective or causative in Crohns disease and ulcerative colitis.
Researchers have found, from taking stool samples, that people with Crohns and Colitis tend to have less diversity of microbes overall, and lower numbers of some supportive families of bacteria, namely, Bacteroides and Firmicutes. We know from other microbiome research that diversity of microbes seems to be key to good gut and overall health. They have also found that people with IBD often have more species that seem to have a negative impact on our gut health.
The supportive species produce compounds (short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) that are thought to have anti-inflammatory effects and therefore be protective; on the other hand, some species found in larger numbers in people with IBD seem to have a pro-inflammatory effect and could be causative or perpetuate IBD.
The research is still ongoing but we are understanding more and more about the role that our microbes play in health and disease and, as a potential causative or protective factor, it is important that we address our microbes and support them when we are looking at the long term management of Crohn’s and Colitis. We now know that we have the ability, through the food we eat and our lifestyle, to both positively and negatively impact them which may play a role in our IBD journey.
I have written a free e-book to help you find a way forward for your everyday life with Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Whether you are right at the beginning of your journey with IBD or have been living with your condition for years and feel like you have tried almost everything, there are things you can do everyday, beyond the medication you are taking, to help you take back control.
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We are all wonderfully unique and what works for one person may not work for another so please seek help and advice before changing your diet to work out the right way forward for you.