Gut Bacteria & Digestion
Explain the role of gut microbiome bacteria in digestion, including breaking down dietary fibre and contributing to a healthy gut environment
What a learner can do afterwards
- Explains that many gut bacteria are beneficial, not harmful
- Describes what gut bacteria do that human digestive enzymes cannot (e.g. break down fibre)
- Explains what might happen if the gut microbiome is disrupted
The lesson
Your gut is home to trillions of bacteria. Together, they're called your gut microbiome, and most of them are on your side, not against you. Your digestive enzymes already break food into small pieces, but they can't handle everything you eat. Some of what you eat, especially the tough, stringy parts of plants called fibre, is too complex for enzymes to break down. That's where your gut microbiome takes over.
Imagine eating an apple. Your enzymes break down the sugar and starch inside it within hours. But the apple's skin and flesh also contain fibre, a tough plant material your enzymes cannot cut apart. Bacteria in your large intestine ferment that fibre, breaking it into smaller molecules your body can use, and producing byproducts that keep the lining of your gut healthy.
Strong antibiotics can kill off many of your gut bacteria, not just the harmful ones you're trying to treat. With fewer bacteria to help digest fibre and keep the gut balanced, some people notice bloating or an upset stomach until the bacteria grow back.
Most gut bacteria are helpful teammates that break down fibre your enzymes can't touch, and losing too many of them throws your gut out of balance.
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