Intestinal dysbiosis and its treatment

The human gastrointestinal tract (includes the stomach and intestines) contains both “good” and “bad” bacteria that make up the intestinal flora, also known as the gut microbiota. Other small organisms also found in the gastrointestinal tract include microfungi, fungi (a group of unicellular or multicellular spore-forming organisms), viruses and parasites.

The human body is full of colonies of harmless bacteria: most of these bacteria have a positive effect on our health and contribute to the natural processes in the body, but when one of these colonies is unbalanced, it can lead to dysbiosis.

Dysbiosis usually occurs when the bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract suffer from imbalance. Some effects of intestinal dysbiosis are temporary and quite mild.

Causes

Any change in the balance of the intestinal flora (i.e. gut microbiota) can cause dysbiosis. When dysbiosis occurs in the gastrointestinal tract, it is usually caused by the following:

• Change in diet resulting in an increased intake of protein, sugar or food additives.
• Accidental consumption of chemicals such as pesticides that remain on the skin or peel of vegetables and fruits.
• Consumption of two or more alcoholic beverages per day.
• Use of medicines such as antibiotics that affect the intestinal flora.
• High levels of stress and anxiety that can weaken the immune system.
• Unprotected sex that can expose a person to dangerous bacteria.

Treatment options

If a medication is the cause of bacterial imbalance, your doctor will most likely advise you to stop taking it until the bacterial balance is restored. Your doctor may also prescribe certain medications to help keep the bacteria under control, such as:

• Ciprofloxacin, an antibiotic used for the treatment of intestinal infections caused by dysbiosis.
• Rifaximin, an antibiotic used for the treatment of symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, a common disorder associated with dysbiosis.

In addition, there are some herbal preparations that can be used in treatment that could be very useful:

• Probiotics
• Prebiotics
• Herbal therapy
• Essential oils
• Homeopathic medicinal products.

Adopting a diet that contains foods with enough nutrients to maintain bacterial balance in the gut, such as vitamins B (especially vitamins B6 and B12), calcium, magnesium, beta-carotene and zinc, is the most effective way to support your intestines in restoring a healthy microbial balance.

Food supplements are foodstuffs derived from concentrated sources of nutrients that supplement the normal diet. As an excellent service provider, Marti Farm can assist you in the placing of food supplements on the market through obtaining a decision on the application of food supplements to the monitoring program. You can read more about the interactions between food supplements and medicinal products at the following link: Interactions between food supplements and medicinal products.

With regard to dysbiosis, it should be borne in mind that in many cases our body corrects the bacterial imbalance in the gastrointestinal tract on its own without the need for treatment. However, if symptoms worsen, you should consult your doctor for diagnosis and treatment.