Variability of Gut Microbes
Variability of Gut Microbes
Hi, I'm Dr. Dhansekhar Kesavalu.
I'm a practicing pediatrician and a periodic gastroenterologist from Chennai. It's a pleasure talking to you on the second part of a very important and interesting area of discussion called gut microbiome. Now this topic is going to be discussed in three sections and today we're going to talk about the second section called the Variability of Gut Microbiomes. The gut microbiota in various pediatric age groups is very variable. The most important age is infancy between the age of 0 to 2 years where the microbiomes from the mother, the birth environment and the early feeding patterns populate an infant's stomach at birth. Breastfed newborns often have a good microbiome which is very rich in good bacteria such as bifida bacterium which help to develop the immune system and protect against pathogens. Normal fed newborns have a more diversified gut microbiota makeup that is more similar to that of adults. The next section which we need to understand is the early childhood between the age of 2 to 5 years and during early childhood the gut microbiota continues to change. The gut microbiota begins to resemble that of an adult by the age of 2 years although still developing and maturing. In this time factors like nutrition, environment and antibiotic use can all have an impact on the composition of the gut microbiota. The third category is a school-eight child's gut microbiota which appears to be more stable and similar to that of adults. The gut microbiota is established a rather constant maker by the stage driven by long-term dietary patterns, environment exposures and individual factors as well. Gut microbiota and its evolution with age is an extremely important area to be discussed. We discussed the gut microbiota in the pediatric age group where we have seen 3 categories not the 2 to 5 and the school age group. Now coming to the adulthood the gut microbiota tends to appear to go into a very subtle phase a rather stable composition that lasts throughout the majority of adulthood. Individual differences in the gut microbiota however, persist due to genetic factors, food, lifestyle and environmental exposures. Long-term food choices, frequent physical activity, stress levels, medication use especially and including antibiotics and overall health condition all influence the stability and variety of the gut microbiota. In older people the gut microbiota of older persons may alter due to aging, lifestyle factors and health issues. So these changes frequently result in a reduction in microbial diversity which can have an influence on gut health and overall well-being. Age-related variables such as diminished immunological function, changes in food and physical activity and increased medication use can all contribute to changes in the makeup of the gut microbiota. Now coming to prebiotics and we understand where we headed. Researchers are constantly discovering and describing new prebiotics such as novel fibers and chemicals that encourage selectively encourage the growth of healthy gut flora. Sinbiotics are prebiotic and probiotic mixtures that work together to boost the growth and activity of healthy gut bacteria. Sinbiotic compositions may receive more attention in the future. Prebiotics may have mostly been linked to gastrointestinal health but future study may reveal changes, their potential advantages for immune function, mental health, metabolic health and even skin health. Specific standards for defining and labeling prebiotic substances may be established by regulatory agencies allowing consumers to make educated decisions. Normal delivery techniques for prebiotics may be developed as an understanding of them improves. Encapsulation techniques, protective coatings and other technologies may be used to improve their stability, targeted distribution and bioavailability in the gut. In this section we spoke about a variety of topics that have actually covered the gut microbiota variation between the different age categories and the factors that influence the gut microbiota and how prebiotics and symbiotics are all different and how they can all be put together in understanding this topic better. We are coming to the end of section 2 and in section 3 we will be moving on to another new area and keep watching this space again and this Dr. Dana Shaeger signing off. Thank you very much.