Why does the Gut microbiota Matter?

(Ms. Facchetti's Investigation and Insight)

The gut microbiota is where microorganisms (such as bacteria) live in our digestive tracts. Lately, I have been searching for scientific information that shows gut microbiota dysbiosis causes certain health complications such as obesity. One scientific journal lead to the possibility that the less bacterial composition of the stomach could lead to an increase of weight and eventually obesity (Gut microbiota and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) profiles of normal and overweight school children in Selangor after probiotics administration by Narcisse et. al). Also, antibiotics do not target pathogenic bacteria. It kills both pathogenic and beneficial bacteria. This led to a decrease of the progression-free survival and overall survival for cancer patients. Most of the cancer patients' health worsened due to antibiotics (Negative association of antibiotics on clinical activity of immune checkpoint inhibitors in patients with advanced renal cell and non-small-cell lung cancer by Derosa et. al). There is scientific evidence backing up that the gut microbiota works best with a diverse environment like in ecology. In ecology, if an ecosystem had only one producer, the chances of that ecosystem collapsing is high. For the gut microbiota, it works the same way. The more beneficial bacteria there is to fill in niches, the better we will feel. Gut microbiota dysbiosis is when our stomach becomes imbalance and could lead to bloating, nausea, depression, fatigue, etc. (Jewell, Tim. What Causes Dysbiosis and How Is It Treated? November 2, 2018). I want to continue my research on how certain bacteria (like Bifidobacterium) impacts the gut microbiota composition and how the gut microbiota composition and our mental health could be linked.