The Science Behind Why The Health of The Gut Microbiome Matters

With the evolving concept of precision medicine and next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies the gut microbiome has proven to be critical to human health. The study of precision medicine encompasses 4 approaches: genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and, metabolomics (1). In other words, scientists can now discover using NGS technologies what is happening within an individual's DNA, mRNA, proteins and other cellular interactions to better understand human health. This field has vastly advanced the ability to understand what bacterial species contribute to health and disease (2). As a result, we now know the significance of the connection between the health of our gut microbes and that of our physiology.

The food we eat enters our digestive system and directly impacts our gut microbiome, for better or worse. This means what we eat can have profound impacts on our health, as the nutrients regularly absorbed in a healthy gut are imperative to cellular processes throughout our body; such as proper functioning of our endocrine and immune system (2). It makes perfect sense that what we eat matters and the more diverse and nutritious our diet can be the better for our physical and mental health. 

The gut microbiome is also referred to as the second brain or Enteric Nervous System (ENS) and due to its vast complexity is classified as the third component of the autonomic nervous system, which also includes the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems (5). The vagus nerve is the main component of the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) that innervates the brain, heart, and digestive system (4). This is largely how the gut and brain communicate, and is known as the gut-microbiome brain axis. 

Our bodies are interconnected throughout neural networks and must be in constant communication in order to maintain homeostasis. Learning the science behind our gut-microbiome, the brain, and the nervous system allows us to better understand how what we eat and think impacts both our physical and mental health. This means that positive thinking and making healthy choices when it comes to what we eat are simple but powerful tools to govern our health.

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1. Khodadadian, A., Darzi, S., Haghi-Daredeh, S., Sadat Eshaghi, F., Babakhanzadeh, E., Mirabutalebi, S. H., & Nazari, M. (2020). Genomics and Transcriptomics: The Powerful Technologies in Precision Medicine. International Journal of General Medicine, 13, 627–640. https://doi.org/10.2147/IJGM.S249970

2. Shreiner, A. B., Kao, J. Y., & Young, V. B. (2015a). The gut microbiome in health and in disease. Current Opinion in Gastroenterology, 31(1), 69–75. https://doi.org/10.1097/mog.0000000000000139

3. Wensel, C. R., Pluznick, J. L., Salzberg, S. L., & Sears, C. L. (2022). Next-generation sequencing: insights to advance clinical investigations of the microbiome. The Journal of Clinical Investigation, 132(7). https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI154944

4. Breit, S., Kupferberg, A., Rogler, G., & Hasler, G. (2018). Vagus Nerve as Modulator of the Brain–Gut Axis in Psychiatric and Inflammatory Disorders. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 9(44). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00044

5. Fleming, M. A., Ehsan, L., Moore, S. R., & Levin, D. E. (2020). The Enteric Nervous System and Its Emerging Role as a Therapeutic Target. Gastroenterology Research and Practice, 2020, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/8024171