The Science of Your Gut

Bloating, Digestion, and How bacteria impact your gut health explained

You may have seen something related to gut health in the media or seen products like probiotics and kombucha at the grocery store. There’s a lot of (mis)information out there surrounding gut health, so we’ll take a look at what we can say is known with confidence versus just a theory when it comes to your gut.

I want to go over science so that you can make informed decisions on which products to buy and which media sources to believe. To prepare you for the information we’re about to cover, there are a few definitions you’ll need to know.

Gut Microbiota

This refers to the community of microscopic organisms (bacteria, fungi, and viruses) living in your gut. You have about 4 pounds of bacteria living inside of you right now to put that into perspective! Your microbiota depends on your health status, age, gender, lifestyle, environment, diet, any drugs you’re currently taking (including antibiotics).

Gut Microbiome

Your gut microbiome is your microbiota combined with any genes (DNA) that exist in the gut.

Digestion and bloating

When there is an imbalance in our gut microbiota, it may cause bloating. Excess gas is a common cause of bloating, and bacteria could be to blame. When we eat foods that don’t digest well in our small intestine, the food passes to our colon. From there, bacteria eat away at the food which releases gas. An example of this is fiber, which is indigestible for humans. When we eat lots of fiber, the bacteria in our gut break it down and release gas. That’s why you may feel discomfort and feel bloated after eating a lot of whole grains, fruits, and veggies!

That being said, our gut microbiome isn’t solely to blame for digestive problems. Many other factors can cause bloating such as our diet, sleep patterns, activity level, and how much water we drink. When it comes to diet, avoid processed food to keep the bacteria in your gut healthy. Artificial sweeteners and emulsifiers (additives that thicken food) are added to processed foods, and research shows that both can cause imbalances in our gut microbiota. According to the International Journal of Molecular Sciences, common sugar replacements (saccharin, sucralose, and aspartame) can induce our good bacteria to become disease-causing.

How restrictive our diet is may affect digestion as well. When we limit the types of food we eat by going on a gluten-free, keto, or on a “clean eating” diet, we inadvertently change the diversity of our microbiota. Ideally we want a diverse range of bacteria that allows us to better digest food. No research has proven that any diet or food can “heal” or “restore” your gut microbiome, so be mindful when seeing these claims.

If you want to promote a healthy range of bacteria in your gut, try a probiotic. Probiotics are a natural supplement, not a medicine, and are generally safe to take every day. Some people respond well to them, while others don’t have a response at all. This is because the microorganisms in the probiotic don’t colonize in their gut. This reaction is entirely dependent on each person and each type of probiotic.