Colon Bacteria for Your Health

The bacteria in your colon may help to determine whether you:
• become obese (European Congress on Obesity, April 2, 2024)
• have high cholesterol (Cell, April 2, 2024)
• are at increased risk for suffering a heart attack (Int J Mol Sci, 2021 Aug; 22(15): 8074)
• are at increased risk for becoming diabetic (Sci Transnational Med, Oct 25, 2023;15 (719))

Colon Bacteria and Cholesterol
Researchers at the Mass General Hospital report that stool samples from more than 1,400 participants in the Framingham Heart Study grew certain bacteria, such as Oscillibacter or Eubacterium coprostanoligenes, that break down cholesterol in your gut to lower blood cholesterol levels (Cell, April 2, 2024). Realize that these bacteria lower cholesterol only as long as you don’t take in more calories than you burn. When you take in lots of extra calories, your liver makes so much more cholesterol that your blood cholesterol level will still rise.

This thesis was reported previously by a group from Cornell (Nature Microbiology, August 18, 2022;l 7:390–1403). Many previous studies show that certain colon bacteria can lower high levels of triglycerides and blood sugar levels, other markers for increased heart attack risk (Circ Res, Oct 9, 2015 Oct 9; 117(9): 817–824).

Colon Bacteria and Weight Gain
A recent study found that a combination of antibiotics and a high-fat diet changed the types of bacteria in the colon to cause significant weight gain (31st European Congress on Obesity in Venice Italy, May 12-15, 2024). The high-fat diet and antibiotics reduced healthful colon bacteria in the Lactobacillus family that make phenyl lactic acid, a chemical that regulates how fat is used by cells that line the intestines. This drop in phenyl acetic acid caused cells lining the intestines to release huge amounts of fat into the bloodstream to markedly increase the amount of fat deposited in fat cells in your body. Lactobacilli are used as probiotics, as they are found in large amounts in fermented foods such as bucha, kimchi and fermented milk products.

Treating Diabetes with Changes in Colon Bacteria
Many studies show that insulin resistance and diabetes are associated with loss of colon bacteria that produce short chain fatty acids (SCFAs). Good control of blood sugar levels is associated with large numbers of colon bacteria that produce SCFAs (Diabetes, Nov 2022;71(11):2438-2446). Plants are loaded with soluble fiber that is not absorbed until it reaches your colon where healthful bacteria convert soluble fiber to short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) that increase sensitivity to insulin, and lower high blood sugar, high cholesterol and high blood pressure (Nat Rev Endocrinol, 2015;11:577–591).

Potential Benefits of More Healthful Colon Bacteria
Replacing harmful colon bacteria with types that are healthful may lead to new treatments to lower cholesterol and help to prevent heart attacks. Today you can increase the number of healthful colon bacteria by:
• eating a diet based primarily on vegetables, whole unground grains, beans, seeds and nuts (“anti-inflammatory foods”), and restricting sugar-added foods and drinks, mammal meat and fried foods (“pro-inflammatory foods”)
• possibly (not proven) by taking probiotic supplementss, but nobody is checking to see that you are getting bacteria that are safe and effective
• future drugs that may be made from molecules produced by healthful bacteria

You can improve the colony of good bacteria in your colon by eating lots of the anti-inflammatory foods: vegetables, whole grains, beans, seeds, nuts, fruits, and seafood (non-fried), AND restricting the pro-inflammatory foods such as red meat, processed meats, fried foods, foods with added sugar and all drinks with sugar in them including fruit juices and alcohol. Anti-Inflammatory and Pro-Inflammatory Foods
Inflammation Can Help or Harm

My Recommendarions
Anti-inflammatory lifestyle factors such as a healthful diet, exercising, staying active and getting enough sleep are being shown to help prevent disease and prolong lives. Many of these health benefits may come from increasing healthful bacteria and decreasing harmful bacteria in your colon.