Contents:
- Medical Video: Irritable Bowel Syndrome | IBS | Nucleus Health
- Why are there lots of bacteria in the human intestine?
- The results of research on bacteria in the intestine
- How can bacteria in the intestine determine the most suitable diet pattern?
- Then what does it mean for people who want to choose a particular diet?
Medical Video: Irritable Bowel Syndrome | IBS | Nucleus Health
Everyone's body is different. This is why you might have followed the exact same diet pattern with your friends, but did not feel any effect. Even though your friend has succeeded in losing weight to ten kilograms.
Well, recent research has managed to reveal new ways to determine the most suitable diet for each person. The trick is to analyze the colonies of bacteria that live in your intestine. Want to know more information? See the explanation below!
Why are there lots of bacteria in the human intestine?
In everyone's intestines, there are various kinds of bacteria that work as a colony. This colony of bacteria is most nested in your digestive system. Starting from the esophagus, stomach, intestine, to the anus.
However, not all bacteria are bad and harm the body. Precisely most bacteria that live in your intestine are good bacteria. The colonies of good bacteria in your intestine are responsible for breaking down and absorbing food in the body. In addition, good bacteria can also increase the vitamin content in the food you consume.
The results of research on bacteria in the intestine
A study in Sweden successfully proved concretely that bacterial colonies in the intestine play a very important role in the metabolic process. A good bacterial colony is also able to control a person's weight.
In this study, participants who were overweight and obese were divided into two groups. The first group is people with diverse bacterial colonies in the intestine. The second group are those whose intestines are filled with bacterial colonies that are quite uniform (of limited type). Then these two groups were asked to undergo a low-calorie high-protein diet for six weeks.
As a result, the second group showed a more significant effect on weight loss and improvement in general health conditions. They also become further away from the risk of heart disease and diabetes. Whereas the first group that had diverse bacterial colonies did not show a significant effect.
This means the same diet pattern will be responded to in a different way by the body. The body's response itself is determined by the diversity of bacterial colonies in your intestine.
How can bacteria in the intestine determine the most suitable diet pattern?
The study, initiated by a team of experts from Chalmers University of Technology, explained that bacteria in the intestine have different ways of working when digesting substances from the food you consume, such as calories and protein.
If most of the bacteria in your intestines are effective in breaking down calories, you can certainly lose weight quickly with a low calorie diet. While if the nature of bacteria in your intestine is so diverse, the number of bacteria that can break down calories may be less. So even though you have chosen a low calorie diet, the effect is not very pronounced.
Then what does it mean for people who want to choose a particular diet?
Unfortunately, there is currently no practical way that lay people can do to check the nature of bacterial colonies in your intestine. However, Swedish researchers are optimistic that nutritionists and health consultants will be able to help patients or clients determine the best dietary patterns based on the nature of bacteria in their intestines. You just need to be patient while the experts do further research.
However, there are lessons to be learned from the results of these studies. To get the best dietary effects, keep your digestive system healthy. Increase the consumption of yogurt and processed soy products such as tofu and tempeh. These products are rich in probiotics that can control the balance of bacteria in your digestive system.
