How Good Bacteria Can Make You Ill?
Their growth is the final line during the healing process
It all started when I had a minor infection in the urinary tract. The consultant prescribed two weeks BD (twice each day) of Doxycycline Hyclate, a potent antibiotic. As the prescription began, the manifestations magically subsided.
Everything seemed fine until I made a huge mistake.
As soon as the dosage completed, I perceived myself to be fully recovered and began with a normal diet. I amused myself with steaks, toasted, roasted, and fried items like never before. Within a few days of this routine, I landed in bigger trouble.
That was indigestion (somehow). But an irregular bowel movement was bothering. Now I had to quick-rush the washroom every few hours with a sharply aching stomach. There were no other symptoms like before, so it wasn’t re-infection for sure. Signs were too strange.
In a few days, I realized that it was the malignancy of an antibiotic drug.
The drug was effective to kill the infective pathogens. But in this course, Doxycycline Hyclate didn’t just kill the infectious bacteria but also wiped out the entire gut microbiome that also includes the good bacteria.
Health is defined by microbiota in our gut — Hippocrates
What is the gut microbiome?
The gut microbiome is also known as the normal flora, microbiota, or microflora. It is the population of bacteria that inhabits the mucus lining of the digestive tract which is more pronounced in the large intestine.
Naturally, the microbial flora is present everywhere including the skin and mucus lined body cavities. In the digestive tract — they reside in the oral cavity, the esophagus, stomach, and intestine up to the anal opening. This bacteria present in the gut directly influence the health of an individual. Most of the gut bacteria are commensals (inhabiting the host for long periods without causing detectable harm or benefit). However, normal flora imparts a range of health benefits.
What comprises the intestinal microflora?
The normal flora of the intestine mainly comprises of 300–1000 species of bacteria. Primarily, they are:
- Firmicutes — Ruminococcus, Lactobacillus, Enterococcus
- Bacteroidetes — Bacteroides, Prevotella
- Actinobacteria — Bifidobacterium
- Proteobacteria — Escherichia, Enterobacteriaceae
Major Functions:
- They adhere and colonize in the gut and prevent the attachment of any pathogenic organisms to the intestinal wall. They serve as both mechanical as well as biological barriers.
- Their ability to produce antimicrobial substances like Hydrogen Peroxide, Organic acids (eg. Lactic acid), Bacteriocin, and Acidophilin controls and regulate the colonization of bacteria. Organic acids like Lactic acid lowers the intestinal pH to restrict the growth of many pathogens. The intestinal acidity also increases the absorption of Calcium and other minerals.
- Produces vitamins (Bifidobacterium– produces Vitamin B-Complex, E.coli– production of vitamin K2) and boosts immunity against an array of disease-causing organisms.
Cure and Recovery
My assumption to be recovered from the infection was wrong. In fact, I was only cured of the infection. Treatment and cure cannot be called recovery. Recovery applies to the condition when the normal flora is re-established for normal functioning, which in my case was — in the gut.
Without the normal flora recuperated, the human body is equally vulnerable to infections from the food source.
Here is my case, the consumption of fatty and proteinaceous food resulted in proteolytic-lipolytic bacteria to inhabit the intestine. These groups of bacteria potentially are disease-causing microorganisms.
Now, I had to look for ways to re-grow the good bacteria in the gut.
How to re-grow the gut microbiome?
There are about 10–100 trillion microbes in the human intestine which comprises about 300–1000 species of bacteria.
After birth, the gut microbiome is first established with breathing, breastfeeding, and birth route (vaginal microflora of mother). During adulthood, the primary source of the establishment of these bacteria is from the diet. Additionally, exercise, age, diseases, and drugs also determine their number and types.
Probiotic foods and medicines/supplements are the most important sources of the re-establishment of beneficial gut bacteria. The Probiotic microorganisms are the live bacteria and yeasts that are consumed for their beneficence and health benefits.
Among the most important probiotic foods are — fermented foods.
- Yogurt / Curd
- Sauerkraut
- Sourdough bread
- Fermented pickles
- kimchi (prepared from cabbage)
- Cheese
Wine is also a fermented drink, but certain steps during its processing kill the good bacteria.
For me, yogurt worked the best. Recovery is the gradual process of restoration and re-establishment of the normal constituents of the body. The probiotics once established, grows as the normal flora and remain relatively stable for a long time. All I had to do is add a small quantity of fresh yogurt or any of the probiotic food with your diet.
The dependence of the intestinal microbes on the food makes it possible to adopt measures to modify the flora in our bodies and to replace the harmful microbes by useful microbes.
— Metchnikoff, 1907
Conclusively, the secret lies in the diet. We must allow our body to heal and recover apart from being cured. We also have an army of bacteria protecting us, and we must equally safeguard them for our healthiness.
