The gut microbiota, commonly referred to as thegut flora, ismade up of all the microorganisms living in our digestive tract.It is formed by a number of cells and of genes that are respectively 10 and 100 times greater than those composing the human body; moreover, it can weigh up to 1,5 kilos. Much like fingerprints, the gut microbiota is unique to each and every person..
What function does the gut microbiota have and why is it so important to examine it?
The enormous bacterial population of the microbiota performs several functions that are vital to our body. First of all, it facilitates the digestion of foods that we would otherwise not be able to assimilate; moreover, it produces vitamins, such as folic acid and other B vitamins, and keeps our immune system active. Lastly, it prevents conditions such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, inflammatory diseases of the intestinal tract, colon diverticula, colorectal, liver and stomach cancer , rheumatoid arthritis, mental disorders and allergies.
On the other side, an impaired gut microbiota (a so-called state of dysbiosis) does not only – in the most severe cases – favour the onset of said conditions, but is also often associated with recurrent disorders of mild and moderate entity, such as sporadic colitis, frequent diarrhoea, constipation, flatulence, digestive distress as well as uro-gynaecological disorders.
In short, what is clearly emerging from several scientific studies is that the gut microbiota plays a key role in preserving our overall health.
When is it more appropriate to undergo the Microbiota exam?
Knowing the composition of one’s microbiota means being able to preserve its balance – or even improve it through the appropriate changes to one’s diet and lifestyle – and thus to prevent the onset of diseases of the intestinal tract.
Therefore, it is recommended to take a gut microbiota test at least once in a lifetime, as a form of prevention..
All the more so since many of the conditions listed above develop over a longer period of time, during which correcting any predisposing factor could be crucial to prevent the disease itself.
There are, however, specific cases in which gut microbiota testing can help design a successful therapeutic approach.
- In case of intestinal symptoms such as irritable bowel syndrome, frequent diarrhoea, constipation, flatulence and intestinal discomfort.
- In case of overweight or obesity, to integrate nutritional strategies for weight loss and the consequent maintenance of weight-shape;
- Duringcrucial life phases,, such as childhood and aging, during which the maintenance of a healthy microbiota can contribute to the prevention of allergies and limit the effects of immuno-senescence and inflammatory states typical of aging;
- or into a pregnancy and breastfeedingmaintaining a healthy microbiota is essential not only for the woman’s health, but also to help the newborn build a balanced microbiota, which develops from the maternal one.
- At the onset of menopausea healthy microbiota can help better manage major metabolic and physiological changes.
- If you suffer from recurring or chronical infections of the urinary-genital tract,such as cystitis, urethritis, vaginitis and candida, the results of this test can help you treat them.
- If you are an athlete,a balanced microbiota with a high metabolic efficiency can be a valuable aid both in keeping healthy and in increasing your sports performance.
How is the intestinal microbiota analysis performed?
The microbiota test is carried out on a stool sample - much like a simple physico-chemical examination or culture test. However, the required equipment and technical know-how have much more advanced; due to the huge number of microorganisms to be analysed, it is indeed impossible to cultivate all intestinal bacteria in a regular laboratory.
Nowadays, the most advanced techniques for the sequencing of bacterial DNA extracted from faecal samples (such as Next Generation Sequencing) provide for a full and reliable analysis of the gut microbiota.Besides identifying the various bacterial species, they allow us to assess the overall state of health (or rather dysbiosis) of the microbiota, its efficiency in producing useful or harmful substances,its ability to carry out specific key functions, as well as its predisposition towards inflammatory bowel, metabolicand ageing-related diseases.
As a result, these technologies can offer an impressive amount of data, which are collected in the Microbiopassport® - a genetic ID of your microbiota., the Microbiopassport®.
Where can I take the test?
The technical, technological and scientific complexity of the bacterial DNA sequencing process is such that only a centre of excellence can boast the necessary equipment and practical know-how to ensure reliable results.
To this end, the Primus Forlì Medical Centre and the Lucia Magnani Health Clinic of the Castrocaro Thermal Baths have teamed up with the WellMicro laboratory , a spin-off of the University of Bologna and one of the world’s leading research centres on the human gut microbiota.
The results of the sequencing and the subsequent bioinformatics and statistical analysis of the Microbiopassport® data, after about 30 days from the sampling, are transferred to the Primus Forlì Medical Center and Lucia Magnani Health Clinic.
As an internist specialised in nutrition and health education, my task is to combine the resulting test data with the patient’s medical history and to collaborate with my colleagues to design the personalised dietary, pharmacological and medical treatment plan that best suits his or her needs.
After a certain period of time, the test is repeated so as to assess the effectiveness of the plan and, if necessary, to make the necessary changes, with the goal of constantly improving the patient’s overall health.
