Why Are Microbes Important To Human Health?
Microbes are not always bad. Trillions of microbes live in our body and they perform pivotal functions. Here is an overview of what beneficial things microbes do to our body to function efficiently.
The microbes that reside in different communities are collectively called the microbiome. The microbiome is an important component of immunity and has crucial functions in human health and diseases. Studies have discovered that there have been 10,000 distinct microbial organisms in the human body. Humans require bacteria and their genes more than we think.
Role of Microbes in Human Health
Microbes help us in the following ways.
Digestion
Microbes for Skin Health
Reproductive Health
Microbes for Immunity
The Gut Microbiome
Microbes Help in Detoxification and Stress
Digestion
Microbes in digestion, Credits: pixabay
The important functions of microbes are that they help with digestion. The microbes in your gut will decide how much energy you consume and store. Any change in the microbial pattern during early life can contribute to weight problems in later life. It was identified that infants who were given antibiotics were at increased risk of becoming overweight. This is because antibiotics can kill healthy bacteria that influence the absorption of nutrients in the body.
Microbes for Skin Health
A woman with beautiful skin, Credits: pixabay
The diverse population of microbes is present in the human skin. Our skin health relies on The delicate balancing of our cells with the microbes which live on their surfaces. The healthy bacteria that reside in the skin may not allow harmful bacteria to enter the skin. These bacteria help prevent skin infections from turning to be prolonged and serious. An example of bacteria that reside on the skin is Bacillus subtilis which produces bacitracin on the skin that helps fight with other microbes.
Reproductive Health
The microbes in the reproductive tract of women regulate reproductive wellbeing and help prevent disease.
Microbes for Immunity
Research teams also established that bacteria in rod form named Bacillus present in the digestive tract can bind and promote division and replication of the immune cells. These microbes can also help fight cancerous tumors.
The Gut Microbiome
The microbes in the intestine help guard against pathogens and help in digestion. There exist differences in the microbial pattern between babies who are delivered vaginally and those delivered via C-section. Babies who have been born by C-section are more likely to develop allergies and asthma than babies who come from the vagina.
There exist differences between the gut microbiota of formula-fed and breast-fed infants. Once a baby completes the first year of life, the microbial profile becomes distinct for each infant. The microbiota of a 2.5-year-old infant in terms of the structure resembles that of an adult.
Microbes Help in Detoxification and Stress
A woman in stress, Credits: pixabay
The exact interplay between microbes and stress response is unclear, but it is observed that people under intense stress have less diverse bacterial communities in the gut.