Defining a Healthy Human Gut Microbiome: Current Concepts, Future Directions, and Clinical Applications

Abstract

Indigenous microbiota are an essential component in the modern concept of human health, but the composition and functional characteristics of a healthy microbiome remain to be precisely defined. Patterns of microbial colonization associated with disease states have been documented, but the health-associated microbial patterns and their functional characteristics are less clear. A healthy microbiome, considered in the context of body habitat or body site, could be described in terms of ecologic stability (i.e., ability to resist community structure change under stress or to rapidly return to baseline following a stress-related change), by an idealized (presumably health-associated) composition or by a desirable functional profile (including metabolic and trophic provisions to the host). Elucidation of the properties of healthy microbiota would provide a target for dietary interventions and/or microbial modifications aimed at sustaining health in generally healthy populations and improving the health of individuals exhibiting disrupted microbiota and associated diseases.

A importância da microbiota no organismo humano e sua relação com a obesidade

“…Os tecidos imunes presentes no trato gastrointestinal constituem a maior e mais complexa fracção do sistema imunológico humano 16 . No intestino, a microbiota tem a função de "educar" o sistema imunológico e prevenir infecções patogênicas, e seu benefício se estende por outros órgãos, inclusive os pulmões 17 .…”

“…A microbiota humano estabelece no início da vida (no parto) sofrendo alterações desde o nascimento (idade gestacional, tipo de parto -parto vaginal ou parto cesariano) e ao longo da vida, influenciado por fatores como idade, alimentação, localização geográfica, o consumo de suplementos e fatores ambientais 16,29,30 . Além das doenças inflamatórias e autoimunes, existem outras doenças crônicas que podem ser afetadas pela comunidade microbiana do intestino.…”

“…A ingestão de probióticos beneficia também os indivíduos saudáveis, evidências sugerem que os probióticos tem função de reduzir o risco de doenças infecciosas e infecções do trato respiratório superior 34 . Os probióticos atuam afetando a composição e a função da microbiota, portanto, o consumo de probióticos pode exercer um efeito benéfico à saúde, mesmo não sendo visível a alteração na composição da microbiota intestinal 16 .…”

Health and environmental applications of gut microbiome: a review

“…A study on the consumption of a probiotic yogurt revealed the changes in expression of microbiome-encoded enzymes (related to carbohydrate metabolism), but no impact was found on microbial populations in faeces [59]. Several possibilities for the use of probiotics in dysbiosis conditions are there that may include use of a modified consortium or genetically engineered bacteria for targeted, enhanced benefits [59,60].…”

“…However, it is still not clear to the researchers if prebiotic involvement promotes constancy in the population or results only in temporary shifts of population that are beneficial [62]. Correspond a prebiotic with a probiotic (forming a synbiotic) may be a fresh approach to make dietary-induced changes in the gut microbiota [60].…”