The intestinal microbiota brings together trillions of microorganisms living in the intestines in symbiosis with the body. But how does it play an important role? Information items with Nathalie Delzenne, pprofessor of metabolism and nutrition at UCLouvain.
Formerly called the intestinal flora, the microbiota is composed of billions of bacteria, viruses, fungi evolving in the digestive system; “it represents more microbial cells in our organism than cells that constitute our own individual and we have to live with this microcosm that we shelter in our intestine” explains Nathalie Delzenne, pprofessor of metabolism and nutrition at UCLouvain.
These micro-organisms – which are not pathogenic – are essential the proper functioning of our body on several levels: digestive, neurological, immune or even metabolic.
Tkings functions majors
The microbiota settles in our intestine from our birth, it develops in contact with the external environment: “It plays a crucial role in particular for the education of the immune system and a whole series of functions. And we must preserve it and nourish it as well as possible in order to acquire all the advantages of its presence. We must also be very careful because these bacteria and microorganisms that inhabit us, we must keep them inside the intestine and prevent them from spreading to other tissues, so we have created a barrier function that allows us to live in symbiosis with this ecosystem “ points out our expert.
Before adding that we harbor – in minor quantities – bacteria that are potentially harmful and that we call pathogens. “But sometimes, if we have changes in intestinal permeability, we can see bacterial elements entering the blood and causing severe infections or even inflammatory processes. So we have to do everything to try to keep a microbiota that will play a role beneficial without allowing these potentially pathogenic bacteria to pass into the blood and create possible health problems”.