The microbiome-fibre connection

When it comes to regularity, its all about the fibre!

Did you know there are some indigenous populations that eat over 500 different kinds of plant fibres every year? I am hoping to get 30 different kinds a week let alone 500. As you will be reading about soon, a variety of plant foods builds microbiota variety in the microbiome which supports regularity when it comes to using the rest room.

As you read this, your body is working hard to: 

• Clear waste produced during your body’s normal, healthy activities.

• Remove compounds (e.g. hormones) from circulation that have completed their tasks

• Neutralise toxins that can harm your body, and 

• Fight off pathogens (infectious organisms) that could otherwise make you sick

 I know, impressive huh? 

Once the body has done its job removing waste, toxins and pathogens through various processes in different organs, the residual stuff is packaged up and sent to your colon so that it can exit the body as poo. 

So, How Often Should You Poo?

As your digestive tract is one of the main avenues for removing waste from your body, it’s ideal to pass at least one well-formed stool daily. Having daily bowel movement ensures the most efficient clearance of hormone metabolites and unwanted waste products from your body. Anything less than this, and you might be experiencing constipation. 

 But why does constipation occur? What impact is it having within your gut? And most importantly, what can you do to address the underlying causes?

Constipation Characterised 

The medical definition of chronic constipation (CC) involves experiencing the below symptoms for at least a three-month period:

• Hard or lumpy stools;

• Reduced frequency of defecation (less than three bowel motions per week);

• A sensation of not passing the entire stool (i.e. a feeling of incomplete evacuation); or 

• Straining when passing a stool.

 However, under this definition, straining to pass a hard stool each day, or only going several times a week, can be seen as ‘normal’, leading people to believe their symptoms are benign or harmless.

Unfortunately, this may not be the case. Chronic Constipation increases the risk of complications such as hemorrhoids, anal fissures, fecal impaction and fecal incontinence. 

Read on to learn what to do when you can’t poo. 

The Microbiome-Constipation Connection

Your intestinal microbiome is a living colony of 38 trillion beneficial bacteria, yeasts and fungi that synergistically work together to keep your gut, immune system and entire body healthy. When it comes to bowel regularity, your microbiome plays two hugely important roles:

1. Converts the fibre from your food into short chain fatty acids (SCFAs). SCFAs regulate your gut motility -- the stretching and contractions of the muscles in the gastrointestinal tract which moves the food downwards -- .and  provide fuel for your gut cells. If your diet lacks fibre or if your gut doesn’t have enought good bacteria, SCFAs may be reduced and lead to constipation. 

2. Prevents pathogenic (bad) organisms from overgrowing in the gut. These unwanted organisms can contribute to  inflammation, and also produce gasses such as methane, which slows gut motility. Together, these negative effects can produce constipation.

 In order to remedy your microbiome issues and eliminate your constipation, there are two key supplements you can call on.

Prebiotics Promote the Poo

The first supplement to look for when restoring the microbiome to treat constipation is partially hydrolysed guar gum (PHGG). PHGG is a prebiotic, which is a group of fibres that provide your beneficial bacteria with the food to make SCFAs. Research shows that 5 g/d of PHGG is beneficial for constipation, demonstrating the capacity to soften the stool, increase the weekly number of bowel motions, decrease abdominal pain, straining with bowel motions, and the need for laxatives. 

 Another beneficial prebiotic is inulin. Inulin is found in high doses in Dandelion Root. I love this herb because its bitterness additionally stimulates gastric secretion which aids  digestion. Leek, onion, and asparagus are also high in inulin. 

 The Strain that Stops the Strain

The second supplement is the probiotic strain Lactobacillus plantarum 299v. Probiotics are live, beneficial microbes that support the health of your gut and intestinal microbiome. 

A primary action of probiotics, including 299v, is to help the beneficial organisms within your microbiome to grow and flourish. This creates more good bacteria that then produces more SCFAs, which we now know is very useful for combating constipation! Beyond this, 299v can also produce antimicrobial substances that prevent pathogenic microbes from surviving within the gut, reduce inflammation within your digestive tract, and prevent pathogenic organisms from attaching to your gut lining. 

Together, these actions result in increased stool softness, gut motility, and the feeling of complete evacuation, whilst also reducing symptoms such as abdominal pain. 

Five ways you can upset your microbiome: 

The following are five of the most common diet and lifestyle factors that may negatively impact the health of your microbiome, along with some tips to help you re-establish a healthy and thriving microbial community once more.

1. Eating a low fibre diet: as your gut microbes rely on the fibre in your food for fuel, a low fibre diet leads to a reduction in the diversity of your microbiome. Variety is key! Try to eat something different everyday.

2. Alcohol intake: the consumption of alcohol can result in dysbiotic changes in your intestinal microbiome, and also triggers gastrointestinal inflammation. If you’re consuming more than one standard drink per day, your microbiome is probably keen for you to abstain a bit more often!

3. Unmanaged stress: when you are stressed, the release of the stress hormone cortisol, and adrenaline sensitise your body to inflammation, including gut inflammation. This disrupts the gut environment, compromising the conditions your beneficial microbes need to flourish.

4. Leading a sedentary lifestyle: lack of exercise has also been linked to reduced microbial diversity in the gut – another reason to get moving!

5. Antibiotic use: a round of antibiotics does lead to some loss of core commensal organisms (antibiotics are supposed to kill off bacteria however in this instance the good stuff goes too). This leaves the gut susceptible to microbiome imbalances and dysfunction. Due to this disruption, up to 10% of people experience gastrointestinal side effects from antibiotic use, referred to as antibiotic-associated diarrhoea (AAD). 

Do any of these situations apply to you? 

Fortunately, there are a several things you can do to support your microbiome and help correct the imbalances.

Manage your stress levels, utilise antibiotics only when specifically needed (and take strain-specific probiotic to restore your microbiome if you do), moderate your alcohol intake, and exercise regularly will all have your microbiome singing your praises! 

Additionally, and perhaps most importantly, consuming a diet rich in plant based fibres will provide ample fuel for your beneficial organisms to flourish. See below for ideas on foods your microbiome loves. Remember different species eat different foods so full your plate with as much variety as possible everyday.