How To Improve The Microbiome Diversity (Community List)

[youngsinatra]

Hello everyone,

I thought it would be cool to collect ideas on how to improve the composition and diversity of our microbiome and let this be a place where everyone can add supplements, activities, lifestyle factors or specific foods or dietary regimens that either..

a. have been shown in scientific studies (ideally in humans) to improve the microbiome (for example: increased alpha-diversity, reduced pathogenic bacteria, improved intestinal inflammation biomarkers, lowered serum LPS , increased production of SCFA, improved symptomatology in chronic digestive diseases like IBS, colitis..)
OR
b. have anecdotally and personally benefited you even without a concrete scientific background

Let‘s go.

 

[youngsinatra]

„The fermented food-rich diet resulted in an increase in alpha diversity of the gut microbiome that was not observed with the fibre diet. Interestingly, the increase in microbiome diversity remained during the designated ‘choice’ period despite intake being higher during the ‘maintenance’ period, with a strong relationship between time and diversity“
— Fermented Foods, Health and the Gut Microbiome

 

[youngsinatra]

„Production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), especially butyrate, in the gut microbiome is required for optimal health but is frequently limited by the lack of fermentable fiber in the diet. We attempted to increase butyrate production by supplementing the diets of 174 healthy young adults for 2 weeks with resistant starch from potatoes (RPS), resistant starch from maize (RMS), inulin from chicory root, or an accessible corn starch control. RPS resulted in the greatest increase in total SCFAs, including butyrate. Although the majority of microbiomes responded to RPS with increases in the relative abundance of bifidobacteria, those that responded with an increase in Ruminococcus bromii or Clostridium chartatabidum were more likely to yield higher butyrate concentrations, especially when their microbiota were replete with populations of the butyrate-producing species Eubacterium rectale RMS and inulin induced different changes in fecal communities, but they did not generate significant increases in fecal butyrate levels.

These results reveal that not all fermentable fibers are equally capable of stimulating SCFA production, and they highlight the importance of the composition of an individual's microbiota in determining whether or not they respond to a specific dietary supplement. In particular, R. bromiior C. chartatabidum may be required for enhanced butyrate production in response to RS (Resistant Starch). Bifidobacteria, though proficient at degrading RS and inulin, may not contribute to the butyrogenic effect of those fermentable fibers in the short term.“
— Dynamics of Human Gut Microbiota and Short-Chain Fatty Acids in Response to Dietary Interventions with Three Fermentable Fibers - PubMed

 

[youngsinatra]

„In young healthy individuals, self-reported sleep quality was positively associated with microbial diversity. We also observed a positive association between sleep quality with F/B ratio, seemingly due to a greater relative abundance of Blautia and Ruminococcus (Firmicutes) and lower proportions of Prevotella (Bacteroidetes) in individuals reporting superior sleep quality.“
— Self-reported sleep quality is associated with gut microbiome composition in young, healthy individuals: a pilot study - PubMed

 

[chrstn4o]

Saccharomyces boulardii I've had good results with, with kids as young as 2 to adults in their 60s. I had the studies list but lost my file with all my research this year to date due to some weird glitch on ubuntu..

 

[chrstn4o]

Also for me personally, homemade sauerkraut works well to increase transit time and soften/improve stool quality. Only a little bit is needed though, a tablespoon or two.. I know many folks would be against it on this forum but it is what I consider an ancestral food and great way to preserve vegetables without refrigeration (at least in my region of origin).

 

[iMusclebuild]

Also for me personally, homemade sauerkraut works well to increase transit time and soften/improve stool quality. Only a little bit is needed though, a tablespoon or two.. I know many folks would be against it on this forum but it is what I consider an ancestral food and great way to preserve vegetables without refrigeration (at least in my region of origin).

I'm still learning - why the view against sauerkraut?

 

[chrstn4o]

I'm still learning - why the view against sauerkraut?

I think the view that there are no such thing as beneficial bacteria is held by some. I personally have had great success with probiotics in improving people's health, so don't hold that view. But I definitely don't think overgrowth in the gut is good and use herbal gut cleanses with all my clients and on myself. Certainly don't believe pharma antibiotics are needed for most cases.

 

[iMusclebuild]

@chrstn4o Thanks so much for the response. Cheers

 

[Dutchie]

I think the view that there are no such thing as beneficial bacteria is held by some. I personally have had great success with probiotics in improving people's health, so don't hold that view. But I definitely don't think overgrowth in the gut is good and use herbal gut cleanses with all my clients and on myself. Certainly don't believe pharma antibiotics are needed for most cases.

I think some view the goitrogens (anti-thyroid) and high histamines in sauerkraut to be problematic as well.

 

[Highserotonin90]

[ USER = 16538 ] @ chrstn4o [ / USER ] Are you referring to enemas?

 

[chrstn4o]

[ USER = 16538 ] @ chrstn4o [ / USER ] Are you referring to enemas?

For gut cleanses? No I mean using herbal anti-pathogenic mixes to "reset" the gut a couple of times a year, most often coupled with a probiotic or two. The occasional enema doesn't hurt though, if one has the equipment, time and enthusiasm to do it. I use oxygen pills as a good gut clearing that is much more convenient, personally.

 

[Dapose]

I swim in a lake a couple times a week. I don’t shower with chlorinated fluoridated city water. The gut by the way goes from your mouth and inside your nostrils to your colon and anus. I eat steak and raw milk cheeses daily. I’m a gardener and constantly touching soil. And eat food that’s never been washed.

 

[chrstn4o]

I think some view the goitrogens (anti-thyroid) and high histamines in sauerkraut to be problematic as well.

Yes, but unless you are in a really bad state of health, a tablespoon or two 5 times a week shouldn't be a problem.

 

[GreekDemiGod]

We know that peat warned about the danger of endotoxin/ LPS, created by gram-negative bacteria. And his belief was that all bacteria is bad, and it's best to have less of it, to have less endotoxin.
But I read somewhere which contradicts this, don't remember where. But it was along the lines of: LPS can be neutralized by some species of bacteria.
The basic idea was that you don't have to reduce all bacterial diversity in order to reduce LPS.
In other words, less bacterial population doesn't guarantee less endotoxin.

 

[Dutchie]

Yes, but unless you are in a really bad state of health, a tablespoon or two 5 times a week shouldn't be a problem.

Oh, I know....I was just mentioning reasons why some here might not be fans of it.

In regards to histamine intolerance, I do think even such a small amount can be a problem. Not only bc of histamines in the fermented food itself, but also bc one might be getting in a reasonable amount of histamine producing bacteria.

 

[mostlylurking]

a. have been shown in scientific studies (ideally in humans) to improve the microbiome (for example: increased alpha-diversity, reduced pathogenic bacteria, improved intestinal inflammation biomarkers, lowered serum LPS , increased production of SCFA, improved symptomatology in chronic digestive diseases like IBS, colitis..)
OR
b. have anecdotally and personally benefited you even without a concrete scientific background

High dose thiamine hcl + magnesium glycinate healed my gut and normalized my microbiome. Taking 1gram of thiamine hcl, 2Xday, with water, normalized my entire digestive tract. My microbiome had been damaged via multiple courses of antibiotics summer of 2020. I got well via the thiamine and magnesium.

Thiamine and the Microbiome - Hormones Matter

Health depends on the 70-100 trillion single-celled organisms that live in our intestines.

www.hormonesmatter.com

Dietary Vitamin B1 Intake Influences Gut Microbial Community and the Consequent Production of Short-Chain Fatty Acids

The gut microbiota is closely related to good health; thus, there have been extensive efforts dedicated to improving health by controlling the gut microbial environment. Probiotics and prebiotics are being developed to support a healthier intestinal environment. ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

"In this study, we found that vitamin B1, which is an essential nutrient for humans, can have a significant effect on the survival and competition of bacteria in the symbiotic gut microbiota, and we further demonstrated that vitamin B1 can be involved in the production of butyrate, along with the amount of acetate in the intestinal environment. Therefore, the findings of this study are expected to lead to a new concept of healthy lifestyle that emphasizes on building an optimal intestinal environmental condition that enhances human health by modifying the intestinal microbial community through ingestion of appropriate dietary components."

 

[iMusclebuild]

High dose thiamine hcl + magnesium glycinate healed my gut and normalized my microbiome. Taking 1gram of thiamine hcl, 2Xday, with water, normalized my entire digestive tract. My microbiome had been damaged via multiple courses of antibiotics summer of 2020. I got well via the thiamine and magnesium.

Thiamine and the Microbiome - Hormones Matter

Health depends on the 70-100 trillion single-celled organisms that live in our intestines.

www.hormonesmatter.com

Dietary Vitamin B1 Intake Influences Gut Microbial Community and the Consequent Production of Short-Chain Fatty Acids

The gut microbiota is closely related to good health; thus, there have been extensive efforts dedicated to improving health by controlling the gut microbial environment. Probiotics and prebiotics are being developed to support a healthier intestinal environment. ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

"In this study, we found that vitamin B1, which is an essential nutrient for humans, can have a significant effect on the survival and competition of bacteria in the symbiotic gut microbiota, and we further demonstrated that vitamin B1 can be involved in the production of butyrate, along with the amount of acetate in the intestinal environment. Therefore, the findings of this study are expected to lead to a new concept of healthy lifestyle that emphasizes on building an optimal intestinal environmental condition that enhances human health by modifying the intestinal microbial community through ingestion of appropriate dietary components."

@mostlylurking Thanks for this! Did I miss the dosage for magnesium glycinate?

 

[mostlylurking]

@mostlylurking Thanks for this! Did I miss the dosage for magnesium glycinate?

I take 3/8teaspoon, 2Xday, which equals to 400mg of magnesium. This amount works for me, may not be the right dose for other people. I've been taking this amount for about 2.5 years.

 

[iMusclebuild]

I take 3/8teaspoon, 2Xday, which equals to 400mg of magnesium. This amount works for me, may not be the right dose for other people. I've been taking this amount for about 2.5 years.

Awesome, brother. I'm looking forward to starting!