Gut microbiota: the next-gen frontier in preventive and therapeutic medicine?

Abstract

Our gut harbors an extremely diverse collection of trillions of microbes that, besides degrading the complex dietary constituents, execute numerous activities vital for our metabolic and immune health. Although the importance of gut microbiota in maintaining digestive health has long been believed, its close correlation with numerous chronic ailments has recently been noticed, thanks to the innovative mechanistic studies on the compositional and functional aspects of gut microbial communities using germ-free or humanized animal models. Since a myriad of mysteries about the precise structures and functions of gut microbial communities in specific health situations still remains to be explicated, the emerging field of gut microbiota remains a foremost objective of research for microbiologists, immunologists, computational biologists, clinicians, food and nutrition experts, etc. Nevertheless, it is only after a comprehensive understanding of the structure, density, and function of the gut microbiota that the new therapeutic targets could be captured and utilized for a healthier gut as well as improved overall well-being.

Keywords: dysbiosis; gut microbiota; high-fat diet; metabolic syndrome; microbiome; probiotics.

Figure 1

Speculated health implications of gut microbiota. NAFLD, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease; NASH, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis; HS, hepatic steatosis; IBD, inflammatory bowel disease; IBS, irritable bowel syndrome; UC, ulcerative colitis.

Figure 2

Importance of balanced nutrition and gut microbiota, and consequences of gut dysbiosis. MetS, metabolic syndrome; NAFLD, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease; NASH, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis; IBD, inflammatory bowel disease; IBS, irritable bowel syndrome; CVD, cardiovascular diseases.