A new study published in journal Science, has linked growing consumption of processed food with declining levels of gut bacteria.
- These bacteria help digest plant cellulose, especially in people in industrialised countries.
Key points
- All mammals, including humans, rely on the gut microbiome to digest cellulose, the main component of plant fibre.
- These microbes convert these indigestible compounds into short-chain fatty acids, which, in turn, supply energy to the host.
- In 2003, scientists discovered that human gut bacteria were indeed degrading this complex sugar molecule. The species was identified as Ruminococcus champanellensis.
- The recent study also discovered three new species of cellulose-digesting bacteria in the human gut. These bacteria were prevalent among rural populations as well as the great apes, ancient human societies and hunter-gatherer communities.
- The human microbes digested monocots such as maize, rice and wheat, which are major components of the human diet.
- Each person has an entirely unique network of microbiota that is originally determined by one’s DNA.
- A person is first exposed to microorganisms as an infant, during delivery in the birth canal and through the mother’s breast milk.
- Exactly which microorganisms the infant is exposed to depends solely on the species found in the mother.
- Later on, environmental exposures and diet can change one’s microbiome to be either beneficial to health or place one at greater risk for disease.
