My Molecular Health
The Why Behind 'Eat Fruit & Vegetables
Our Gut Biome
What Is the Gut Microbiome?
Bacteria, viruses, fungi and other microscopic living things are referred to as microorganisms, or microbes, for short.
Trillions of these microbes exist mainly inside your intestines and on your skin.
Most of the microbes in your intestines are found in a “pocket” of your large intestine called the cecum, and they are referred to as the gut microbiome.
Although many different types of microbes live inside you, bacteria are the most studied.
In fact, there are more bacterial cells in your body than human cells. There are roughly 40 trillion bacterial cells in your body and only 30 trillion human cells. That means you are more bacteria than human (1Trusted Source, 2Trusted Source).
What’s more, there are up to 1,000 species of bacteria in the human gut microbiome, and each of them plays a different role in your body. Most of them are extremely important for your health, while others may cause disease (3Trusted Source).
Studies Find That Microbiome Changes May be a Signature for ME/CFS
Researchers have found differences in the gut microbiomes of people with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) compared to healthy controls. Findings from two studies, published in Cell Host & Microbe and funded by the National Institutes of Health add to growing evidence that connects disruptions in the gut microbiome, the complete collection of bacteria, viruses, and fungi that live in our gastrointestinal system, to ME/CFS.
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A balanced microbiome is also essential for a variety of neural systems, especially immune regulation and coupling between energy metabolism and blood supply in the brain, as well as the function of the nerves that supply the gut.
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Dr. Williams’ group also reported that an abundance of F. prausnitzii was inversely associated with fatigue severity in ME/CFS, suggesting a possible link between gut bacteria and disease symptoms. More research is needed to determine if differences in the gut microbiome are a consequence or cause of symptoms.
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