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5 Things to Know About the Gut Microbiome

5 minute read
An illustration of two doctors viewing and discussing research of gut microbiome

You’ve probably heard the phrase “trust your gut” or heard something being described as a “gut punch.” But how familiar are you with the gut microbiome?

The gut microbiome is the community of microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, fungi and other microbes, that live in the gastrointestinal tract, mainly in the intestines.

All these organisms play a very important role in maintaining your health. How so, you may ask?

We’ve selected five things to know about the gut microbiome taken from research published by Mass General Brigham investigators.

  1. Tiny Organisms, Big Influence: Nutrition, Digestion, and a Range of Diseases

Your gut microbiome plays a significant role in your nutrition and digestion. It breaks down foods, produces vitamins and influences how your body absorbs nutrients. Additionally, it also impacts your risk of certain diseases such as Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) and diabetes as well as the development of allergies.

Researchers from Mass General Brigham have identified specific strains of gut bacteria associated with IBD. Researchers have also found that an altered gut microbiome may play a crucial role in the development of food allergies. Another study from Mass General Brigham found that specific changes in the gut microbiome were linked to increased risk of type 2 diabetes.

Featured studies from Christopher S. Smillie, PhD (MGH) and Lynn Bry, MD, PhD (BWH)

  1. Gut Feelings: Your Microbes May Help Regulate Your Emotions

Emotions and how we regulate them can significantly impact our overall health. Research indicates that the gut microbiome can influence both our mental and physical health through the gut-brain axis.

A recent study by researchers from Mass General Brigham supports the link between gut health and emotional well-being, highlighting the importance of thinking about the gut microbiome when studying how emotions affect physical health.

In another study, researchers unearthed a link between post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), diet and the gut microbiome, suggesting that dietary (e.g., Mediterranean diet)- or microbiome-based interventions may help to reduce PTSD symptoms.

So, next time someone says, "trust your gut," remember, there's some science backing that up!

Featured studies from Shanlin Ke, PhD (BWH) and Yang-Yu Liu, PhD (BWH)

  1. Rising Rates of Cancer: Could the Microbiome Have a Role?

Why are younger adults developing cancer, especially colorectal cancer, at higher rates? Mass General Brigham researchers are still working to find answers, but one hypothesis is that the composition of the gut microbiome may be influencing cancer risk. One Mass General Brigham study has taken this hypothesis a step further, finding that a Western-style diet, rich in red and processed meat, sugar and refined carbohydrates, could be increasing colorectal cancer risk by influencing the gut microbiome.

So far, it’s an indirect link, but researchers are continuing to investigate, looking for ways to address this disturbing trend in cancer rates.

Featured studies from Andrew T. Chan, MD, MPH (MGH) and Shuji Ogino, MD, PhD, MS (BWH)

  1. Gut Health Can Be Restored

The gut microbiome is a delicate ecosystem with a big impact on human health and disease. But when that ecosystem becomes disrupted—such as when antibiotics wipe out large swaths of its residents or a nasty strain of C. difficile gets a foothold—it may not be fixable without extreme measures.

One of those measures is fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), a medical procedure in which healthy bacteria from the stool of a healthy patient is transferred to the colon of an unhealthy patient. While more research is needed before it becomes an everyday treatment, FMT has been shown to restore a balance of good gut health and address a variety of gastrointestinal and hepatic diseases. The promise of more personalized treatment could offer a path forward for treating complex diseases.

Featured study from Jessica R. Allegretti, MD, MPH (BWH)

  1. The Gut Microbiome Can Influence How T Cells Develop

Why do some children develop severe allergies or autoimmune disorders when their parents have no history of either condition?

Rather than looking to genetics for clues, the answer may lie in the communication that occurs between the T cells of the immune system and the bacteria in the gut microbiome, particularly at a very young age.

Researchers at Mass General Brigham are studying how changes in the bacterial population of the gut microbiome influences T cell development in thymus—an organ that makes and trains T cells—and how signaling systems between the gut and the thymus help to drive this process.

Featured study from Nitya Jain, PhD (MGH)