How Gut Bacteria Protects Your Liver

The beneficial microbes inhabiting your gut have long been known to support digestive health, but deeper research is showing how intestinal bacteria controls and protects organ health.

The liver, one of the organs reliant on a healthy balance of good bacteria, is our main detoxifying center. When we’re receiving enough probiotics (as well as prebiotics), it works more efficiently at removing toxins from our food and environment. It turns out that many of the liver’s metabolic functions are either enhanced or suppressed by the presence or lack of healthy bacteria in the gut.

The Way Gut Bacteria Protects Your Liver

A recent study from the Imperial College of London looked at the effects of exposing germ-free mice to environmental microbiota. These mice gained weight after five days of exposure, and their livers also showed remarkable changes in metabolism. Changes in glucose, glycogen, and triglyceride metabolism were rapid following exposure to bacteria, suggesting just the simple exposure to one strain could either benefit or inhibit overall liver function. [1] Researchers also found that bacteriastimulated the enzyme responsible for drug-detoxifying pathways, potentially revealing that an influx of good bacteria could support the detoxification from pharmaceuticals or other chemicals.

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