Dysbiosis: Your Microbiome Out of Balance

Discover the intricate world of microbiomes and the impact of dysbiosis on your health. Our bodies are home to trillions of microorganisms, both helpful and potentially harmful. Most of these bacteria, viruses and fungi live together in communities known as microbiomes, and they play an important role in keeping us healthy.

When everything is in harmony, our microbiomes thrive, supporting our well-being. However, factors like poor diet, unhealthy lifestyle choices, certain medications, and even stress can disrupt this balance, leading to a condition called dysbiosis. Dysbiosis can make us more susceptible to infections and interfere with the essential functions of our microbiomes.

Where Can Dysbiosis Happen? How Does it Affect Me?

Many systems in our bodies contain their own microbiomes. While we hear most about the gut microbiome, the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, skin, and urinary tract host their own microbiomes all of which can fall out of sync and give rise to troublesome conditions.

GI dysbiosis can lead to tooth decay, bleeding gums and cavities.

Skin dysbiosis causes atopic dermatitis and acne.

Urinary tract dysbiosis triggers painful urination, genital discharge and itching.

How Does Gut Dysbiosis Affect Me?

Let’s focus on gut dysbiosis. A lack of diversity of microorganisms in any microbiome can lead to one microbe asserting dominance over the rest, giving rise to disease. An out-of-balance gut microbiome affects the immune system and can give rise to chronic conditions including:

• Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
• Obesity
• Diabetes
• Colorectal cancer
• Cardiovascular problems
• Central nervous system disorders‌
  
  Gut dysbiosis can also lead to malnutrition (occurs when the body doesn't get enough nutrients), malabsorption (not properly taking in nutrients from food) and the inability to tolerate some foods. Symptoms of gut dysbiosis include bloating, gas, abdominal discomfort, nausea and changes in bowel movements. 

What Causes Gut Dysbiosis?

Gut dysbiosis develops when there are too few good bacteria in the gut, or there is too much growth of harmful bacteria. The loss of overall gut microbiome diversity, caused by losing both good and bad bacteria, can also cause imbalance. Some of the environmental and physiological conditions that can kill off gut bacteria include:

• Infection
• Antibiotics and antimicrobial substances that can kill or prevent the growth of microorganisms, such as bacteria
• Other drugs and medications
• Smoking and alcohol use
• Environmental toxins
• Physical and psychological stress
• Chronic inflammation
• Chronic diseases
• Diet

Can Dysbiosis Be Treated?

The first step in treating dysbiosis is determining its cause. If an underlying disease or condition is the culprit, treating that condition can lead to restoration of the affected microbiome.

Dysbiosis that has environmental and lifestyle factors at its root requires addressing those factors, which might include a change in diet and activity or improving work/life balance. Environmental and lifestyle changes can usually benefit anyone with dysbiosis, regardless of other causes as well as improve overall health and well-being.

An infection or overgrowth of bad microorganisms in the microbiome may require interventions with antibiotics, antivirals or antifungals. Such treatments require close monitoring by a health care provider because they can also diminish good microorganisms, leading to continued imbalance.

What Can I Do to Fix Gut Dysbiosis?

You can improve your gut health at home by adopting a high-fiber diet that contains appropriate levels of vitamins, minerals, sufficient water, plenty of fruits and vegetables and high-quality protein. It’s also important to eliminate or significantly reduce the intake of saturated and trans-fat, simple sugar, refined flour, high-fructose corn syrup and other processed foods. Additional steps you can take include:

• Taking probiotic supplements
• Adding fermented foods like kefir, yogurt, pickles and sauerkraut to your diet
• Choosing healthy sources of fats, like fish, and nut and plant oils, which are anti-inflammatory
• Getting regular exercise
• Reducing substance use, including alcohol and tobacco
• Reducing exposure to environmental toxins

You can further improve your diet by avoiding:

• Fast and fried foods
• Candy, soda and sweets high in added sugar
• Packaged and convenience foods high in additives and preservatives

When Should I Talk to My Care Provider About Dysbiosis?

The longer your body remains in dysbiosis, the more trouble you might have with chronic illness. If you experience any of the symptoms that indicate dysbiosis for more than a few days, contact your primary care provider. They can order tests, determine a diagnosis and provide options for treatment.