Study explores the importance of gut microbiota for improving human wellness

In this study, Chinese researchers introduced the gut flora-centric theory (GFCT) and its potential application in food science for the maintenance of human wellness. Their review was published in the journal Food Science and Human Wellness.

• Human wellness is the ultimate goal of efforts to improve human life.
• Functional foods enable humans to achieve this kind of wellness.
• However, overeating leads to obesity and diabetes, both of which negatively affects human wellness.
• Because of these chronic diseases, dietary restriction and proper exercise were introduced to daily human life.
• The effects of different foods on human health greatly varies, hence diversification of diet is highly recommended by nutritionists to keep the body healthy.
• For the prevention of diabetic mellitus, special foods allowed by healthy diets, such as the ketogenic diet, the low-carbon diet and the low-calorie diet, are gradually attracting attention.
• A new hypothesis has also emerged suggesting that hunger is influenced by the gut microbiota.
• This hypothesis has been demonstrated in multiple studies through the use of special food components, such as plant polysaccharides and dietary fibers.
• The response to food-needing signals from the gut microbiota to these nutrients demonstrates the importance of gut microbial communities for improving human wellness.
• The gut microbiota may be an essential factor for the regulation of hunger and for proper nutrition.

The researchers believe that modern techniques, such as 16S rRNA sequencing and mass spectrometry, can be used to identify beneficial gut microorganisms, which can guide scientists to a new era of human wellness that’s based on gut microbiota wellness.

Read the full study at this link.

Journal Reference:

Zhang C, Gong W, Li Z, Gao D, Gao Y. RESEARCH PROGRESS OF GUT FLORA IN IMPROVING HUMAN WELLNESS. Food Science and Human Wellness. June 2019;8(2):102–105. DOI: 10.1016/j.fshw.2019.03.007