MedibiotiX | MedibiotiX | Metabolic Health

What is the microbiome?

The microbiome is a complex environment of bacteria and other microorganisms. They live in many different sites of the body, including the gut, skin, mouth, and urogenital system.

However, the gut is the primary location of the human microbiome and has a major contribution towards our health and wellness by protecting our bodies from disease-causing microorganisms, developing our immune systems, and enabling us to digest our food to produce energy.

The gut microbiome is very diverse, but not all the bacteria in the gut are beneficial for our health. "Bad" bacteria are associated with infection or illness (such as some strains of Escherichia coli [E.coli]), whilst the "good" bacteria (such as Bifidobacteria) help keep the "bad" bacteria in check.

A healthy, balanced microbiome means there are more "good" bacteria than "bad" bacteria and this balance is essential for good overall health.

What is the gut microbiome?

We know the most about the gut microbiome.

The gut microbiome has a crucial role in maintaining and promoting overall health. A healthy gut microbiome controls metabolism, protects the lining of the gut, helps maintain the immune system, and defends against diseasecausing microorganisms.

The human gut microbiome is composed of hundreds of different microorganisms. There are two main types of bacteria found in healthy guts, Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes. However, the microbiome’s composition can be affected by exercise, diet, or stress.

To find out more about how your microbiome works click here.

The link between the gut microbiome and metabolism

Metabolism refers to the chemical processes in the human body that are used to convert food into energy or amino acids, the building blocks for the proteins needed to create new cells and tissues.

Several factors affect metabolism including age, gender, muscle mass, and physical activity levels. The digestive system plays a crucial role in supporting metabolism.

The gut microbiome helps to produce certain nutrients and vitamins, eliminate disease-causing microorganisms, and maintain overall gut health.

A healthy gut microbiome also has crucial roles in helping to maintain the immune system and the mucus lining of the gut to allow for normal absorption of nutrients. The healthy gut’s barrier prevents bacteria and their metabolites such as endotoxins from entering the bloodstream thereby preventing inflammation. This helps to prevent inflammatory and metabolic diseases, including metabolic syndrome.

What is metabolic syndrome?

Metabolic syndrome is a group of medical conditions that increase your risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and other diseases. It is estimated that 1 in 3 adults have metabolic syndrome.

You may have metabolic syndrome if you have three or more of the following conditions:

High blood sugar levels
High blood pressure
Raised triglyceride levels, a type of fat in the blood
Low levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, a good cholesterol
Abdominal obesity

The following factors increase the risk of developing metabolic syndrome:

Being overweight
Not exercising regularly
Eating a diet high in fat and sugar and low in fiber
Smoking
Consuming alcohol

If you have any of these risk factors, please consult a healthcare professional.

What role does the microbiome play in the risk of developing metabolic syndrome?

Metabolic syndrome is often accompanied by an altered gut microbiome, alongside low levels of inflammation throughout the body due to a “leaky” gut.10 This may lead to altered metabolism which may contribute to insulin resistance.

A high-fat low-fiber diet causes intestinal dysbiosis where the gut has decreased diversity and density of “good” bacterial strains in the gut microbiome.10 This allows “bad” bacterial strains such as some strains of Escherichia coli (E.coli) to thrive and increase inflammation.

Long-term inflammation damages the lining of the gut causing it to become “leaky”, which allows “bad” bacteria to thrive in the gut and spread.10 Food antigens (proteins that activate the immune system), bacterial by-products and bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) can enter the bloodstream causing further inflammation.10,11 Bacterial LPS is a molecule found in the cell wall of some bacteria including E.coli. 10 LPS can be released from the gut into the bloodstream causing inflammation, decreasing “good” cholesterol levels, and reducing the effectiveness of insulin, a hormone, at reducing blood sugar levels.

Trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) is produced by the gut bacteria to help break down nutrients, and it may increase inflammation within the fat.10,12 Long-term inflammation in the fat tissue is a characteristic of obesity and can make insulin less able to control sugar levels. 10,12 TMAO increases the amount of “bad” cholesterol in the blood and may also increase fat accumulation around the organs such as the liver.

These changes cause further increases in inflammation leading to the worsening of metabolic syndrome and increasing risk of heart disease, stroke, or type 2 diabetes.

A solution that meets your needs

We have designed a solution based on up-to-date scientific knowledge to support normal body weight and metabolism by optimizing the microbiome. It contains two strains of bacteria, Bifidobacterium lactis 420 and Lactobacillus acidophilus LA-14, which have been carefully selected to complement each other’s beneficial effects. These strains are combined with a carefully selected blend of prebiotic supplements, and other specifically chosen ingredients, to optimize their action in the gut and support your well-being.

Together these strains can help to:

Positively influence body weight, control body fat, and support intestinal barrier health
Support an optimal cholesterol profile
Help maintain a balanced microbiome

The following ingredients have been shown to be beneficial:

Fructooligosaccharides (FOS) and galactooligosaccharides (GOS): prebiotic supplements that promote the growth of healthy bacteria in the gut and reduce fat accumulation
Coenzyme Q10: an antioxidant that helps reduce cell stress, slows the growth of fat cells, and reduces the production of fatty acids, the building blocks of fat
Quercetin: reduces glucose (sugar) uptake in the gut, increases insulin production to control glucose levels, and promotes the use of glucose as an energy source for the body
Chromium: a mineral that is needed for lowering total and “bad” cholesterol (LDL) in the blood
Olive extract: hydroxytyrosol is a powerful antioxidant found in olives which may help to reduce high blood pressure
Vitamin B12: essential for digesting folate, a vitamin, and for maintaining healthy glucose levels
Folic acid: helps to maintain a balanced microbiome and a healthy immune system