Our Gut Microbiome is made up of Symbionts – the Good Guys. And Pathobionts – the Bad Guys
It is important to have the right balance between the two – we actually
need both in the right quantities.
Optimally we should have about 85% Good Guys and about 15% Bad Guys. If we have the wrong ratio then we experience Gut Dysbiosis – or imbalance.
For some people, the lining of the gut wall can become damaged – this lining, called the intestinal mucosal barrier, consists of a single layer of cells. The junctions between these cells are usually kept very tight, as shown in the left-hand side of this diagram.
However, when bad bacteria attacks this gut lining, it can cause what doctors call “intestinal permeability” and what we know as Leaky Gut Syndrome. People suffering from this syndrome can experience a range of conditions, due to bacteria, toxins and sometimes even undigested food passing through these leaky junctions into the bloodstream.
This then causes the body to react by trying to defend itself – causing systemic inflammation, which is the bodies normal defence mechanism towards what it thinks is an attack.
