Microbiome – the heart of immunity

Organs of gastrointestinal tract, the second largest surface of human body, take about 250–400 m2. About 60 tons of food pass through the gastrointestinal tract during lifetime. It accommodates more than 100 microorganisms of numerous species. Gastrointestinal tract is responsible for vital functions, such as absorption of nutrients, and serves as a physical, microbiological and immunological barrier protecting the body from potentially harmful substances and microorganisms.

The set of microorganisms accommodated in a human body: bacteria, viruses and fungi – is called microbiome. In simple words, microbiome is divided into two groups – beneficial bacteria and malignant bacteria. Balance of the two types of bacteria is crucial. Intestinal microbiome has enormous effect on human health. Well-balanced microbiome is the indicator of human immunity.

Intestinal microbiome is responsible not only for distribution of nutrients but also for building of immunity and energy, vitamin synthesis and provision of the functioning of nervous system. To ensure, balance of beneficial and malignant bacteria in microbiome is the most crucial factor: their balance is affected by daily nutrition, daily regimen, taking of medicines, age, various diseases, and environment.

Disturbed balance of bacteria or microbiome results in possible obesity, risk of various diseases including cardiovascular conditions, gastrointestinal disorders and diseases, development of autoimmune diseases. Imbalance of microbiome affects the functioning of nervous system – the observed conditions include stress, alertness, sleep disorders, and depression.

Dysbacteriosis – destroyed balance of bacteria population. Dysbacteriosis leads to modification of normal intestinal microflora because of change of normal/natural relations between intestinal microorganism species; local distribution of microorganisms and their metabolic activity changes, contributing to release of toxigenic products and their spread in the intestinal tract thus becoming a relevant factor to development of a number of chronic degenerative diseases. Manifestations of destroyed balance of microbiome often include intolerance to lactose, intolerance to glutene and various skin problems. As soon as normal intestinal microbiome is restored, intolerance to food disappears and condition of skin improves.

Digestive tract is sterile upon birth. The first bacteria are transferred through mouth to digestive tract: lactic bacteria (bifid bacteria, lactic bacteria), intestinal bacilli, enterococci and other bacteria. Reproduction of bacteria continues in subsequent days, and normal microflora typical to humans develops. Balance of microbiome in early age has significant effect on health condition in general in childhood and also in adult age, it affects overall immunity. The key role of normal intestinal microflora is preventing malignant microorganisms from growth and reproduction.

Microbiome – the set of bacteria accommodated in human body – performs much more functions than believed earlier. The set of bacteria accommodated in the intestines performs significant functions that affect cognitive abilities, thinking and mood. Microbiome is responsible for central nervous system, balance of hormonal and endocrine system. The bacteria affect overall health of a human body.

Microbiome changes throughout lifetime: it is young in children, mature in adults and ageing in old people. Population of bacteria changes every day. Maintenance of normal set of intestinal bacteria is supported by gastric acid, release of bile and pancreatic juice in the intestines. Healthy microbiome is a powerful anti-ageing factor.

The key factors that affect microbiome include lifestyle, nutrition, taking of medicines, stress, age, and other. Intestinal microflora of healthy people differs from that of sick people. Microbiome grows older as people are ageing; risk of gastrointestinal diseases increases including oncologic risks, and therefore daily intake of soluble and non-soluble fiber is crucial to strengthen and support intestinal microflora.

Human health is closely related to the activity of digestive system. Healthy intestinal microbiome (the whole microorganisms normally accommodates in human intestinal tract) has effect on how a person feels, his or her health and look. A close link exists between the functions and condition of gastrointestinal system and brain, muscles and skin functions.

Normal microflora helps to combat bacteria that cause diseases. Intestinal tract is an attractive place also for pathogenic bacteria, viruses and parasites. If large quantities of pathogenic bacteria or viruses enter the intestinal tract and ability of intestines to combat them is weakened, pathogenic bacteria can enter the human body and cause damage to internal organs.

Intestinal microflora can experience notable changes due to various unfavorable conditions: stress, ageing, starvation, parasite invasions, taking of antibiotics, gastrointestinal diseases, radiation, agricultural chemicals, lack of wholesome or balanced nutrition. Taking of medicines, in particular antibiotics, is the most common and significant cause of changes in the intestinal microflora. Medicines can change intestinal pH level thus increasing the risk of changes in microflora. Changes of intestinal pH level can also affect metabolic activity of bacteria.

Antibiotics may help to extinguish pathogenic bacteria that have entered intestinal tract. Unfortunately, antibiotics are unable to distinguish among disease-provoking bacteria and representatives of normal microflora. Antibiotics extinguish all bacteria, both beneficial and malignant, thus destroying the balance of microbiome.

Preference to products easy to digest is harmful to intestinal microflora because such products are absorbed in the upper part of intestines and therefore they do not reach the bacteria accommodated in lower sections of intestines. Intake of soluble and non-soluble fiber is a precondition to healthy nutrition.

Intake of soluble and non-soluble fiber – a natural source of prebiotics – is crucial to effective functioning of intestinal microbiome. Probiotics are live bacteria accommodated in the intestinal tract; they are often called beneficial bacteria because they help to maintain good health, while prebiotics are nutrients to such bacteria. Probiotics include non-pathogenic bacteria and other microorganisms that inhibit antagonist (suppressive) effect on pathogenic microorganisms. Pathogenic bacteria can cause infections, disorders of intestinal microflora and development of various diseases. Therefore, probiotics have favorable effect on digestive tract and health of human body in general. Probiotics can be perished under the influence of temperature and gastric hydrochloric acid, yet these factors have no effect on prebiotics. On the other hand, prebiotics serve as nutrients to intestinal microflora. Prebiotics are not digested or used as a source of energy by human body; they are not absorbed in the upper part of digestive tract; their fermentation takes place in large intestine due to the peculiarities of its microflora.

Regular use of the latest generation complex of soluble and non-soluble fiber RTS FIBER helps to effectively restore and maintain healthy microbiome. RTS FIBER restores and maintains balance of microflora of the intestinal tract providing favorable conditions for the set of bacteria responsible for overall immunity of a human body and its ability to absorb and synthesize the required vitamins and minerals. The RTS FIBER complex may be used by children over three years.