Low good gut bacteria is common and has serious health consequences

The most frequent and alarming result I see on my clients' microbiome stool testing is low beneficial bacteria.

The colon, where our gut flora live, has a limited real estate for which our gut flora must compete. When our good bacteria are low, harmful bacteria take over.

The implications of this could include...

High opportunistic bacteria, including potential autoimmune triggers e.g. klebsiella, linked to symptoms like abdominal pain, bloating, loose stools, anxiety, insomnia and food allergies
High pathogenic bacteria or harmful infections e.g. helicopter pylori, highly associated with the development of duodenal ulcers, and possibly with reflux (GERD)

More generally, the implications of low good gut bacteria include...

Constipation

Obesity, as the gut microbiome of obese people is different to that of slimmer people
Low gut and therefore general immunity
Poor vitamin synthesis e.g. B and D, and poor absorption of calcium and iron
Inflammation, linked to Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Colitis and systemic inflammation
Autism, linked to low bacterial diversity

Poor mood and compromised brain health, including through an imbalance in neurotransmitters, mostly created in the gut

But even our good bacteria can be imbalanced, lack diversity or be missing e.g.Akkermansia is important for immunity and blood sugar regulation, and feeds other beneficial gut bacteria. It's often low in autistic children.

So how can we crowd out the bad and support the good? By...

Reducing your carbohydrate intake to a moderate level
Eating a lot of prebiotics or resistant starch, found mainly in certain vegetables like Jerusalem artichokes, leafy greens, asparagus, onions, raw green bananas
Eating fermented foods like kefir, fermented vegetables, yoghurt, natto
Having a daily microbiome smoothie containing a mix of vegetables and lower sugar fruits like berries
Ensuring your environment isn't too clean or full of chemicals