Are gut microbes human's best friend in the war against being over-fat?

Recently I’ve been reading a number of reports in prominent journals pointing out that the respective levels of the two main intestinal phyla, the Bacteroidetes and the Firmicutes, are linked to over-fat conditions, both in humans and in germ free mice.

The authors are suggesting that carbohydrate metabolism is the important factor.  It appears that complex carbohydrates are the bomb!   However, there is an understanding that Firmicutes are needed to absorb fats so it stands to reason that if you over indulge in fats, it may lead to the accumulation of more Firmicutes - possibly leading to fat gain.  Read on, and this will make more sense…

These reports surmise that when our microbiome is more heavily enriched with bacteria of the phylum Firmicutes and less with Bacteroidetes, we are prone to onboard more calories from our foods, especially carbohydrates.  This suggests that a higher ratio of Firmicutes in the GUT, may provide the conditions for more efficient extracting of energy from a given diet than the microbiota of those individuals with a lower ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes.  

Other studies have noted that when obese individuals lose fat their relative abundance of Bacteroidetes increases.  This sounds like great news in the light of maintenance!  

Alarmingly I am witness the gravitation towards an unfavourable ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes and I largely suspect changes in our lifestyle over the past few decades are in part to blame for the microbiota changes. The use of antimicrobial soaps, hand sanitisers, our exposure to more environmental pollutants and perhaps the biggest culprit - the higher amounts of chronic stress we allow ourself to endure.  

Stress may largely affect bacteria via our hormonal pathways.   Perceived or actual stress triggers the release of adrenal stress hormones, like cortisol and adrenaline. These hormones act on the brain and stimulate the vagus nerve.  I will be writing about this in detail in my next post.  But the vagus nerve is involved in the circuit between the brain, the heart, lungs and, the gut.  Stress reduces the blood supply needed to properly digest foods and manage the balance of bacteria. And this tie between your brain and gut is a two-way street, because stress hurts your digestion, and poor digestion makes you feel more stressed. When this vicious cycle gets rolling, your Bacteroidetes are reduced, and it’s suggested that you gain weight more easily.

How to rock more Bacteroidetes? 

Eating a high-fiber diet with complex carbohydrates is a great start.  Peas, beans, whole grains, and vegetables.  Aiming largely to avoid simple sugars and processed carbs. Firmicutes are so well-suited to grow on sugars that they’re known to grow rampantly in factories that process sugar-cane into table sugar. http://www.nature.com/articles/srep03107

I strongly suggest a gradual increase the therapeutic foods listed below to avoid uncomfortable gas and bloating…

Beans are touted to raise your Bacteroidetes.  If you can’t digest beans, that’s likely a sign that you have too few Bacteroidetes, so start very slowly on the training of your bacteria to digest beans.  Make sure you are soaking and cooking adequately (get in touch if you are unsure how to do this).

Non heat treated Black-currant extract (most non-practitioner products that contain black currant powder are heat treated and lack the capabilities we are looking for).  I’ve managed to source the perfect extract for you!

Slightly under-ripe bananas are also rich in resistant starch as is green banana flour.  I love to chop and freeze organic banana (skin and all) for my elixirs but please don’t go there is you are experiencing GI issue.  

Not so food related - to keep a healthy balance of Baceroidetes we also need a consistent pattern of eating and sleeping.  We need to get our circadian rhythms in sink with nature - avoid screen time after 6pm and aim to go to bed with the intent on waking with the sun. 

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