Type 2 Diabetes Gut Health

Type 2 diabetes is a chronic metabolic syndrome that affects many people. It affects more than 380 million people worldwide, with the number predicted to rise to more than 550 million by 2030.

People diagnosed with diabetes either don't create enough insulin or their cells don't respond to it properly. As a result, cells are less effective in absorbing sugar, and blood sugar levels rise. Internal organs may be harmed as a result of this over time.

Diabetes is a metabolic syndrome that is impacted by the Western diet, which is heavy in saturated fats and processed carbohydrates. Scientists have set out to determine whether specific gut bacteria species could play a role in the diet-diabetes connection.

What is the gut microbiome?

Microorganisms, or gut microbes for short, are bacteria, viruses, fungi, as well as other microscopic living entities. There are trillions of these microorganisms in your intestines and on your skin.

The gut is made up of the majority of the microorganisms in your intestines. They are located in the cecum, a "pocket" of your big intestine. Experts refer to this group as your gut microbiota, human flora, microflora, or gut flora

Gut bacteria are the best researched of the different varieties of microbes that exist within you. The number of bacterial cells in your body is much higher than the number of human cells. There are around 40 trillion bacterial cells in your body and only 30 trillion human cells.

Furthermore, the human gut microbiome contains up to 1,000 kinds of bacteria, each of which performs a unique role in your body. The majority of them are vital to your health, but some may cause sickness.

These bacteria might weigh up to 2–5 pounds (1–2 kg), which is about the same weight as your brain. They work together as an additional organ in your body and perform a critical part in your overall health.

What effect does it have on your body?

For millions of years, humans have evolved to coexist alongside bacteria.

Microbes have learned to perform critical roles in the human body all through this time. It would be extremely difficult to exist without the gut microbiota. Your gut microbiota has an impact on your body from the minute you are born.

Your microbiome has a variety of effects on your body as it grows, including:

Bifidobacteria are bacteria that initially begin to develop within a baby's intestines when they are digesting breast milk. They digest the necessary carbohydrates for growth found in breast milk.

Fiber digestion: Certain bacteria break down fiber and produce short-chain fatty acids, which are beneficial to gut microbial diversity. Dietary fibers may assist to avoid obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.

Controlling your immune system: Your immune system is also influenced by gut bacteria. The gut bacteria can influence how your body responds to illness by connecting with immune cells.

Central nervous system: A new study reveals that the gut microbiota may have an impact on the central nervous system, which might help govern brain health.

Gut permeability and endotoxemia, as well as the generation of short-chain fatty acids, branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), and the disruption of bile acid metabolism, are mechanisms of gut flora that all have a role in blood sugar regulation.

Furthermore, the gut flora might be a potential biomarker for type 2 diabetes prediction, since gut metagenome-based computational models may identify this diabetes-related phenotype in glucose-intolerant individuals.

As a result, the gut microbiome can influence important biological systems and have an impact on your health in a variety of ways.

Can gut bacteria affect diabetes?

Several physiological processes are dependent on intestinal health. You might be shocked to learn that the health of your gut has a substantial relationship to your risk of type 2 diabetes. Not only is your digestion tied to your gut bacteria, but your general health is as well.

What effect does eating have on our bodies? Isn't it good for the body? The carbs, fiber, energy, good and bad fats, sugar, chemicals, and additives in our food all affect us in some manner every time we consume a meal or a snack.

Perhaps the dish is high in protein and gives us a jolt of energy. It might also be high in processed carbohydrates and chemicals, causing a surge in blood glucose that can have a harmful influence on our gut and brain function if ingested often over time. Unhealthy eating is one of the variables that affect diabetic glucose control, can lead to higher body mass index and obesity, and could lead to inflammatory bowel disease. In such cases dietary intervention is necessary.

According to 2019 research, a disruption in gut bacteria may have a role in the development of diabetes.

According to a recent article published in Nature Communications, a small number of specialized microorganisms may be crucial. The study was conducted by researchers from Oregon State University in Corvallis, OR, the University of Vienna in Austria, the National Cancer Institute, and the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, MD.

Does your gut affect blood glucose?

Diabetes now affects a considerable portion of the population. It's a long-term condition that needs careful monitoring and proper blood sugar control. Diabetes can harm several organs of the body if it is not managed properly. It's critical to regulate blood sugar levels in order to manage the adverse effects.

Gut microorganisms affect blood glucose levels by acting directly on the liver rather than through controlling the energy expenditure of specialized fat cells that use glucose as a source of heat.

What supplements are great for your gut health?

There are a number of supplements that can assist with gut healing and optimal function. Make sure to check with your healthcare provider to see whether the supplements you're considering are right for you.

Inulin

Asparagus, bananas, garlic, and onions all contain inulin. It is a type of dietary fiber that contains prebiotics, which nourishes the healthy bacteria in our intestines. It's also available as a supplement to help you get more prebiotic fiber in your diet.

Before taking an inulin supplement, we recommend starting with organic whole foods (vegetables, fruit, and legumes), but if you do decide to go this way, make sure you select a high-quality product (they're not all made equal). It has been associated with a variety of health advantages, including improved digestive health, diabetic control, and weight loss.

Probiotics

The potential beneficial metabolic effects showed up in the studies where a new supplementary treatment method has been investigated. The results showed that probiotics' manipulation of the gut bacteria may be useful in the prevention and control of diabetes, according to clinical data.

Probiotics are living microorganisms that provide a health benefit to the host when given in sufficient concentrations. Such microorganisms are physiologically present in a healthy human body, and they may also be received in the form of over-the-counter dietary supplements.

Probiotics, particularly lactobacillus species, have been demonstrated to be useful in the treatment of this type of diabetes in recent years. The gut bacteria of people with diabetes differs from the gut bacteria of healthy individuals.

Supplementing with probiotics might be a viable way to improve glucose metabolism. When compared to metformin, the combination treatment with probiotics resulted in improvements in fasting blood glucose, glucose tolerance, and insulin resistance.

Licorice root

Since ancient times, licorice root was once used as a traditional healer. In humans, several types of licorice root have been demonstrated to relax the digestive tract and relieve respiratory problems.

Scientists have discovered that licorice root, which belongs to the Papilionaceae or leguminous family, may potentially help with metabolic diseases and type 2 diabetes therapy.

How can I naturally improve the diversity of my gut microbiome without supplements?

The good news is that with a few dietary changes you can naturally make your gut flora flourish.

Add fermented foods to your diet

A natural process where yeast or bacteria break down the glucose in the food is called fermentation. Lactobacilli, a kind of bacteria that can help your health, are present in many of these foods.

People who consume yogurt have more lactobacilli in their intestines, according to research. These people also had lower levels of Enterobacteriaceae, a kind of microbe linked to inflammation and a variety of chronic diseases.

Similarly, yogurt eating has been found in a number of studies to enhance gut flora and reduce lactose intolerance symptoms. Yogurt may also help to improve the function and makeup of the microbiome. However, many yogurts, particularly flavored yogurts, have high sugar content. As a result, plain, unsweetened yogurt or flavored yogurt with minimum added sugar produced only of milk and bacterium mixes, often known as "starting cultures," is the best choice. Additionally, be sure the label says "contains live active cultures" to get the advantages for intestinal health.

Furthermore, fermented soybean milk may encourage the growth of good bacteria like Bifidobacteria and lactobacilli while reducing the number of dangerous bacteria. The gut microbiome diversity may also benefit from kimchi.

Some of the fermented foods are:

• kombucha
• kefir
• tempeh
• sauerkraut
• kimchi
• yogurt

Include prebiotic-rich foods in your diet

Foods that support the growth of good bacteria in the gut are known as prebiotics. It's mostly fiber or complex carbohydrates that human cells can't break down. Rather, microorganisms in the stomach break them down and utilize them as fuel. Prebiotics are present in many fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, but they may also be found on their own.

Prebiotics can be made from resistant starch. This form of starch does not absorb in the small intestine and instead travels to the large intestine, where it is broken down by the microbiota. Prebiotics are encouraging the growth of a variety of beneficial bacteria, including Bifidobacteria.

In obese adults, some prebiotics has been proven to lower insulin, triglyceride, and cholesterol levels.

Focus on unsaturated fat

It's not simply helpful for your heart to replace saturated fat with unsaturated fat. It may also help to guard against harmful gut bacteria that cause insulin resistance. What do we mean by that? Saturated fat in a large steak or juicy burger enhances the absorption of a chemical called endotoxin from the stomach. Endotoxin interacts with cells in the circulation, causing inflammation that can damage insulin receptors, leading to increased insulin resistance. This kind of high-fat diet is especially dangerous for people who have diabetes.