Constant Combat with Viruses

Gut Microbes in Constant Combat with Viruses

You've probably heard that about 80 percent of your immune system resides in your gut, and the next study underscores this fact. It also provides yet another clue as to the kind of constant pressure your gut bacteria is under to keep your immune system humming.
The study, featured in Genome Researchⁱⁱⁱ, looked at a common set of viruses linked to gut bacteria in humans. These viruses, which feed off bacteria, are called phages, and they pose a constant threat to the health of the bacterial community living in your gut.
Phages can actually outnumber bacteria 10 to 1, which in itself is a testament to the power of your beneficial gut bacteria (and by extension your immune system) to keep disease at bay. But it also helps explain why just a few days of careless eating can sometimes make you feel a bit listless, or why chronic poor health is at such epidemic levels.
Between chemical assaults, inadequate nutrition, excessive sugar consumption and an overabundance of natural viral "co-hosts," your microflora has one heck of a job to maintain order and balance... And as soon as that balance is thrown off kilter, it will begin to reflect in your immune function.
Here, the scientists wondered how they might identify viruses that target gut microbiota; whether these viral communities differ between individuals and global populations; and how this might relate to human health and disease.
As reported by Medical News Today^iv:

"Israeli researchers decided to use coded information from a bacterial immune system to get to the bottom of these questions. They discovered a process... to identify and evaluate phages in European individual's gut microbiota, discovering that almost 80 percent of phages are shared between two or more individuals. They then compared their data to samples they took previously from American and Japanese individuals and to their surprise, they also discovered phages that exist in their European data set.
According to [senior author Rotem] Sorek, this means that people's gut microbiota are repeatedly infected with hundreds of virus' types. "These viruses can kill some of our gut bacteria. It is therefore likely that these viruses can influence human health," he said. The researchers highlight that it is of key importance to gain a better understanding of the amount of pressure that is placed on the 'good' bacteria, which is crucial to maintain health...
Scientists are now able to investigate how phage functions in the gut change over time and what impact this may have on diseases like inflammatory bowel disease, as well as finding more effective methods to treat these diseases." [Emphasis mine]

How Your Gut Flora Influences Your Health

An earlier study published in the April issue of Nutrition in Clinical Practice^v also shows that microorganisms in the human gastrointestinal tract form a highly intricate, living fabric of natural controls that affect body weight, energy, and nutrition.
A couple of the key findings in this study were that each individual's community of gut microbes is unique, and the groundwork for each person's gut flora is laid from birth. In fact, the mode of delivery during the birthing process has been shown to affect an infant's microbial profile. This is in part why it's so important for pregnant women to become mindful of their gut health, as it will affect not just their own health, but also that of their child. It's not a static thing, however. Your gut flora is highly susceptible to environmental changes, and can rapidly respond to alterations in diet for example.
Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride's research also demonstrates the dynamic interaction between your gut, your brain, and your immune system, starting from birth.

(ref.: http://shop.theartofcure.net/constant-combat-with-viruses/ )