The gut microbiome
Sidhu, M.; van der Poorten, D.
Australian Family Physician 46(4): 206-211
2017
ISSN/ISBN: 0300-8495 PMID: 28376573 Document Number: 691880
More than a trillion, mostly good, microbes live within our gastrointestinal tract and are responsible for vital metabolic, immune and nutritional functions. Dysbiosis, meaning a maladaptive imbalance of the microbiome, is associated with many common diseases and is a target for therapy. This article provides an overview of the gut microbiome in health and disease, highlighting conditions such as Clostridium difficile infection, inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, obesity and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, with which dysbiosis is associated. Information about treatments that affect the gut microbiome, including probiotics and faecal microbiota transplant, are discussed. As our knowledge of the microbiome increases, we are likely to better understand the complex interactions that cause disease, and develop new and more effective treatments for many common conditions.