What is Your Gut Microbiome?
Key Takeaways
- 01.
The gut is a central health hub. The gut microbiome houses 70% of the immune system and can influence mental health via the gut-brain axis.
- 02.
Lifestyle choices dictate gut balance. Your microbiome is a living ecosystem that is significantly impacted by diet, stress levels, and sleep. A diet high in saturated fats and refined sugars can disrupt this balance, leading to issues ranging from digestive imbalance to skin conditions.
- 03.
Choose consistency over cleanses. Rather than relying on harsh "resets," the best way to support your gut is through consistent habits.
Our bodies aren’t just our own—they’re hosts to trillions of microbes, including bacteria, fungi, and even viruses that benefit us. Most of this microbiota lives in the gut, forming the GI microbiome. Research continues to uncover the important roles the gut biome plays, from digesting fiber and synthesizing essential vitamins to keeping the immune system functioning1. Let’s break down how the gut and microbiome function together and how you can support this balance and gut health.
Importance of gut health
The gut microbiome is a central hub for several important bodily functions, including metabolism, immune defense, and neuroendocrine function (the bridge between the nervous system).
Metabolism
Our bodies are unable to digest dietary fiber from plants (such as vegetables, grains, and legumes) on their own. We need gut bacteria to ferment it. Flora in the gut also synthesizes essential vitamins, including vitamin K and various B vitamins, which are crucial for energy metabolism and DNA synthesis2.
Immune system
Seventy percent of the immune system is found in the gut, specifically in gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT)3. The microbiome’s gut bacteria and other microbes instruct immune cells to distinguish between helpful and harmful microbes. This helps keep the immune system in balance.
The gut-brain axis
As strange as it seems, your body’s gut microbiome plays a key role in your mood. Over 90% of the body's serotonin is synthesized in the gut4. This hormone stimulates the vagus nerve, which sends calming signals to the brain5. Bacteria also produce dopamine, the other “happy hormone,” and GABA, a calming chemical messenger. All of these help balance our mood6.
Factors affecting the gut microbiome
The GI microbiome is a dynamic ecosystem that functions best when it remains balanced. When that balance shifts, changes in microbial diversity and composition can occur. So, what everyday factors can help support a balanced gut environment?
Diet
What you eat is the most crucial factor for gut microbiota. Saturated fats and refined sugars can cause harmful bacteria to multiply while reducing barrier-protecting species7. Non-nutritive sweeteners (saccharin, sucralose) and emulsifiers found in ice cream, chocolate, and baked goods can also disrupt GI balance8. In contrast, a high-fiber diet helps support a diverse, thriving microbiome.
Lifestyle factors
Your habits also influence your gut microbiome. Consistent stress and poor sleep can damage the gut barrier and alter bacterial growth. A calming routine, regular sleep, and moderate exercise help maintain balance.9
How to support a healthy gut
The most effective way to support the gut biome is through consistent dietary habits, particularly focusing on fiber, prebiotics, and probiotics. Fiber is a primary fuel source for gut bacteria. Following the "30 Plants Per Week" guide helps you get a variety of plant fibers to feed a diverse microbiome. Also, be sure to include prebiotic foods like Jerusalem artichokes, garlic, onions, leeks, asparagus, and green (unripe) bananas10.
Unpasteurized, fermented foods with live cultures deliver helpful probiotics and postbiotics. These can include:
- Dairy: Yogurt and Kefir
- Vegetables: Kimchi and Sauerkraut
- Soy: Miso, Tempeh, and Natto (cooking these foods will kill their helpful bacteria)
- Beverages: Kombucha and Kvass (note that kombucha can be high in sugar)11
For a deeper dive into diet, read our article on The Best Foods for Gut and Microbiome Balance.
In addition to eating right, getting 7–9 hours of sleep, practicing stress reduction (e.g., yoga, meditation), and avoiding stressors (alcohol, processed foods) helps support flora in the gut12
Your path to a balanced microbiome
Many people look for ways to “reset” their gut, often through restrictive approaches that may limit beneficial nutrients. A more sustainable approach is to support a balanced gut environment with consistent, nutrient-dense eating patterns and healthy lifestyle habits. AG1 provides 75+ vitamins, minerals, and whole food-sourced ingredients designed to help support gut health as part of a daily routine.* Some of these include:
- Prebiotics and fiber, such as organic apple powder, inulin, and beta-glucans
- Probiotics, including Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG, Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM, Bifidobacterium lactis HN019, Lactobacillus casei LC-11, Lactobacillus plantarum LP-115
- Digestive enzymes bromelain (from pineapple) and papain (from papaya)
- Adaptogens and botanicals like ashwagandha, rhodiola, slippery elm, and licorice root
- Micronutrients like B vitamins, zinc, vitamin C, and more
Scientific studies have shown that AG1 significantly improves the abundance of beneficial taxa and the putative function of the gut microbiome.
Explore AG1 today to help support balance in your microbiome’s gut bacteria as part of your daily wellness routine.
1https://iffgd.org/gi-disorders/the-human-gut-microbiome/
2https://iffgd.org/gi-disorders/the-human-gut-microbiome/
3https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33803407
4https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/22572-serotonin
5https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/26/3/1160
6https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/25/1/38
7https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4540/3/4/42
8https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(22)00919-9
9https://windsordigestivehealth.com/a-basic-guide-to-restore-gut-health/
10https://windsordigestivehealth.com/a-basic-guide-to-restore-gut-health/
11https://windsordigestivehealth.com/a-basic-guide-to-restore-gut-health/
12https://www.utphysicians.com/reset-your-gut-for-optimal-health/
Article Sources:
1.https://iffgd.org/gi-disorders/the-human-gut-microbiome/
2.https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33803407
3.https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/22572-serotonin
4.https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/26/3/1160
5.https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/25/1/38
6.https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/dysbiosis
7.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4540/3/4/42
8.https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(22)00919-9
9.https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1589704/full
10.https://gut.bmj.com/content/65/5/740
11.https://www.clinicalmicrobiologyandinfection.org/article/S1198-743X(15)00902-7/fulltext
12.https://diabetesjournals.org/care/article-abstract/44/7/1462/138809/Metformin-Affects-Gut-Microbiome-Composition-and
13.https://www.nature.com/articles/tp201383
14.https://windsordigestivehealth.com/a-basic-guide-to-restore-gut-health/
15.https://www.frederickhealth.org/news/2021/july/10-signs-of-an-unhealthy-gut/
16.https://www.utphysicians.com/reset-your-gut-for-optimal-health/