What Are Good Gut Bacteria?

Reviewed by Anneleen Segers, PhD

You may be able to enhance your gut health by learning how to increase the number of beneficial microorganisms. What you eat, combined with lifestyle modifications, can support your gut health. Since gut health is typically connected to overall health, maintaining a balanced microbiome is vital.

In this article, we will explore ways to increase your good gut bacteria and support a healthier gut.

 

Understanding Good Gut Bacteria

The gut microbiome refers to the bacteria that inhabit the digestive system. In the world of bacteria, there are both beneficial and harmful bacteria in the gut. The goal, however, is to create an environment in which healthy gut bacteria thrive and benefit the host.

Research continues to demonstrate the importance of beneficial gut bacteria in keeping a healthy gut microbiome, so let's look at how they benefit the human body.

It is no secret that both good and bad bacteria want to reside in the gut, but if the bad bacteria outnumber the good, the gut will be in a state of dysbiosis, or gut imbalance. Variations in the type of gut microbiota have been linked to a number of health issues such as gastrointestinal, neurological, heart, liver, and immunological health conditions.¹

Therefore, the goal is to cultivate a diverse population of healthy microbiota which enhances health by improving digestion, nutrient absorption, and pathogen defense.^2,3 Beneficial bacteria protect the host, by binding to and blocking receptor sites preventing pathogenic bacteria from adhering to intestinal walls and taking residence there.²

 

Health Promoting Gut Bacteria

There are likely more than 1000 species of gut bacteria.⁴ Here we will discuss some of the beneficial genera that are found in the human gut.

 

Akkermansia

Good gut bacteria such as Akkermansia muciniphila, help protect us from external pathogens by maintaining the integrity of our gut mucosa. Multiple studies have shown that this unique probiotic acts as a modulator of gut homeostasis.^3,5

A. muciniphila also plays an important role in anti-inflammatory mechanisms. In fact, individuals with ulcerative colitis may have lower levels of Akkermansia muciniphila in their gut, implying that the presence of A. muciniphila in a healthy gut may aid in the relief of chronic intestinal inflammation.¹

 

Lactobacillus

Several species of Lactobacillus, such as Lactobacillus acidophilus or L. acidophilus are beneficial bacteria that are involved in the digestion of food. L. acidophilus naturally produces lactic acid and hydrogen peroxide, which helps to deter the growth of harmful bacteria.⁶

 

Bifidobacteria

Species of the Bifidobacterium genus were among the first microbes to colonize the human GI tract and are considered beneficial to humans.⁷ Bifidobacteria are one of the primary species found in an infant's gut as they pass through the birth canal.

According to research, Bifidobacteria (there are more than 80 species) may boost overall immunity, promote gut health by improving digestion, and may play a part in eczema management.⁸ Additionally, bifidobacteria may help the body to efficiently absorb calcium, zinc, selenium, and iron.⁸

 

Ways to Support Viability of Good Gut Bacteria

Your everyday meal choices can have a significant impact on what you provide for your gut. Pre-or probiotic-rich foods should be included in your regular diet to enhance gut health as well as general wellness. However, because most diets are not picture-perfect, you may need to talk to your healthcare provider about supplementing your dietary intake with a probiotic supplement.

Let's examine some options for enhancing the health of your digestive system.

 

Diversify Your Dietary Intake

When it comes to maintaining an optimal balance of good gut bacteria, expanding our diets and trying new whole foods is both exciting and beneficial to our health. Including foods from all food groups is essential for providing a diet rich in antioxidants, macronutrients, vitamins and minerals, plant protein, phytonutrients such as polyphenols, and fiber, all of which support good bacteria.

 

Eat More Dietary Fiber

It is well known that several members of the gut microbiota can readily use dietary fiber as a food source.⁹ Making sure you eat a diet high in fiber, such as whole fruits, vegetables, and whole grains which are good sources of prebiotics, is the perfect complement to supporting your good bacteria. These prebiotics give bifidobacteria and other beneficial bacteria in the gut the fuel they need to grow.

 

Exercise

Keeping active daily and moving is essential to support your musculoskeletal system, circulatory system, and also your gut. Exercise helps with improving peristalsis or the movement of food through the GI tract so that your bowel movements can be more productive and consistent.

It may also aid in a healthy metabolism by accelerating it and promoting faster movement through the GI tract. This can support digestion and help move waste out of the body, which in turn supports a healthy microbiome by reducing the number of bad bacteria sitting in the GI tract.¹⁰

 

Supplementation

If your diet requires a boost and you believe you would benefit from a prebiotic or probiotic supplement, consult your healthcare provider to see if you are a candidate for supplementation. Supplements that include both beneficial live bacteria and prebiotic fibers like inulin or fructooligosaccharides (FOS), may support probiotic viability in the GI tract, increase short-chain fatty acid production (SCFA) production, and increase microbial diversity.

To learn more about good gut health check out The Akkermansia Company™.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.