Gut Immunity

The word immunity has been used more than double the times as compared to previous years all thanks to the global pandemic of Covid-19. Since the beginning of the viral spread all over the world, medical professionals and the leading healthcare organizations have been urging people to depend more on preventive measures rather than the treatment once the virus has attacked the body. Improvement in one’s immunity has been a prime focus as strong immunity has the ability to fight the viral attack better as compared to a compromised one.

What is immunity?

According to Merriam-Webster, Immunity is a condition of being able to resist a particular disease especially through preventing development of a pathogenic microorganism or by counteracting the effects of its products.

Immune system on the other hand is what protects the body from diseases and infections. It produces immune response when encountered with pathogens like foreign substances, cells and tissues. For example, fever (rise in body temperature above normal levels) is the body’s response to the virus that has entered the system in order to kill it.

A good immunity is the start and end of everything. Disease prevention can be started from the moment a fetus is conceived. This is totally dependent on the pregnant woman’s health and lifestyle.

Gut immunity

The gastrointestinal tract known as GUT is the body’s largest immune organ. The colon harnesses a huge symbiotic ecosystem consisting of trillions of microorganisms such as various bacteria, viruses and fungi. These are helpful in keeping the body in balance. Dysbiosis is caused by the imbalance between good and the bad microbiomes giving rise to inflammation, infections and diseases.

Although genetic inheritance is important in deciding the composition of microbiome, the external environment such as diet, lifestyle also plays a significant role.

There is a symbiotic association between the host (an individual) and the microbiota. The host provides the microbiota with nourishment for growth and in turn the microbes support the metabolism and immune system by synthesizing vitamins and short chain fatty acids.

As described above, microbiome colonies are dependent on various external factors, when diet fails to provide the essential nourishment to the microbes, dysbiosis occurs and it causes intestinal diseases, obesity, type 2 diabetes, cancer and other degenerative diseases.

Good and bad bacteria

The word Bacteria has got a bad reputation to it and for good reasons. Bacteria are responsible for various diseases and infections, some of which are even lethal. Below are some of the well known infections caused due to bacteria.

• Pneumonia- Streptococcus pneumoniae
• Meningitis- Haemophilus influenzae
• Strep throat- Group A Streptococcus
• Food poisoning- Escherichia coli and Salmonella

And the list goes on and on. They are the reason why antibiotics were invented and are still used widely. These bacteria and viruses are the reason we are asked to wash our hands frequently, sanitize the food and the surfaces most commonly used and stay at home for safety purposes.

Surprisingly, some bacterias are beneficial and even essential for survival. They help us digest food and absorb nutrients, make vitamins such as folic acid, niacin, vitamin B6 and B12. The good bacteria even help keep the bad bacteria in check to avoid infections by inhibiting their growth.

Some of the good bacterias are as follows:

• Lactobacillus acidophilus- most commonly found in probiotics, it is useful for the treatment of vaginal infections caused due to bacteria, travellers diarrhoea in adults and children.
• Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG: useful for the treatment of diarrhoea in and eczema in children.
• Lactobacillus salivarius: blocks the growth of H. Pylori infections.
• Saccharomyces boulardii: useful for the treatment of diarrhoea especially caused due to antibiotics.
• Streptococcus thermophilus: it produces the enzyme lactase required for the digestion of sugar from dairy products.
• Bifidobacteria: These varieties of bacteria are helpful in treating IBS symptoms such as stomach ache, gas, bloating.

Why is it important to maintain a good gut immunity?

Throughout our life, we are exposed to various microorganisms from the environment. Majority population is not affected by these microbes due to a stronger immunity which can withstand and fight them and prevent reactions or diseases.

The important task of the immune system is to differentiate between tolerance and reaction. The diverse gut flora developed at the early stage of life with bacteria and fungi teaches the immune system that not everything is bad. The gut bacteria are responsible for maintaining the balance between the good and the bad. An imbalance may cause the opportunistic pathogenic bacteria to shift the immune system to an inflammatory stage. This can give rise to a leaky gut which is in turn responsible for diabetes, heart conditions, and even psychological disturbances.

Studies show that gut microbiome dysbiosis is one of the leading causes of autoimmune disorders. The autoantibodies for Rheumatoid Arthritis, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) can be observed even before it’s onset. Hevia et al. recently found that the ratio of gut Bacteroidetes decreased in SLE patients, indicating that the dysfunction of mucosal immunity in SLE patients may influence the gut microbiome community. In summary, intestinal flora shapes the host immunity, maintains balance and inhibits inflammation.

Foods require to enhance gut health

• Probiotics: probiotics are live bacteria which can provide beneficial health effects to the host if provided in adequate amounts. These bacteria are the ones which help in the fermentation process of foods such as yogurt, kefir, miso, kimchi, kombucha and are largely present in them. Other products which include probiotics are curd, buttermilk, idli, dosas, apple cider vinegar, sauerkraut, pickles and fermented vegetables.

Those who cannot take probiotics in the natural form can also opt for supplements to avail their benefits.

• Prebiotics: prebiotics are the plant fibers which feed the probiotic microbes in the gut. Probiotics and prebiotics go hand in hand and cannot function in the absence of one another. Fructose-oligosaccharides (FOS) and Galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) are the most common prebiotics. They are found in fruits, vegetables, pulses, legumes, whole grains like oats etc. as well as in the supplement form.
• Water: water is the most  important when it comes to maintaining gut health. It is a great solvent and carrier of nutrients to and from the cells. Even a slight dehydration of 1% can deplete the number of gut flora leading to further issues. Hence, while improving the intake of pro and prebiotics, it is equally important to improve hydration status of the body.
• Apart from the above specific foods, it is important to consume a well balanced diet to incorporate a variety of healthy foods to the body. This includes consumption of adequate complex carbs, proteins, and good fats. On the other hand, consumption of refined foods (sugar, maida) adds to the benefits by keeping the gut clean.

Maintenance of gut health

• Sleep: most systems in the body are regulated by the circadian rhythm. Disturbances in the rhythm can cause adverse changes in the gut microbiota. Hence, getting a minimum of 7-8 hours of sleep is utmost important.
• Stress: During stress, the body goes into fight-or-flight mode while increasing the concentration of stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline. If the body is not able to manage the stress, the levels of these hormones remain elevated causing inflammation. Effective coping mechanisms such as stress relief activities, meditation, pranayam are helpful in combating stress effectively.
• Physical activity: however tedious it may seem, physical activity helps in releasing endorphins which are the happy hormones. Regular physical activity also helps in fat loss, effective blood glucose management which ultimately helps in maintaining good immunity.
• Excessive use of antibiotics (especially without prescription) can be dangerous. Along with the pathogenic bacteria, antibiotics also wash away the good bacteria in the gut leading to bloating, acidity, indigestion and diarrhoea. Limit the consumption of antibiotics to prescribed doses. Also make sure to add probiotics and B-complex vitamin supplementation as per doctor’s

Getting rid of the virus may not be in our hands, but taking good care of our immune system definitely is. Let’s start making small changes today to see a better tomorrow.

References

• The gut microbiota shapes intestinal immune responses during health and disease, June L. Round & Sarkis K. Mazmanian, May 2009
• Ley, R. E., Peterson, D. A. & Gordon, J. I. Ecological and evolutionary forces shaping microbial diversity in the human intestine. Cell 124, 837–848 (2006).
• Peterson, D. A., Frank, D. N., Pace, N. R. & Gordon, J. I. Metagenomic approaches for defining the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel diseases. Cell Host Microbe 3, 417–427 (2008).
• Interaction between the gut microbiome and mucosal immune system, Na Shi, Xinwang Duan, Haitao Niu et al. 27 April 2017.