The ScoopGlucose and gut health
New addition to our seven-part series on gut health
In our recent gut health series, we learned that our gut impacts everything from our skin, mood and sleep to our immunity & heart health. Did you know that your gut health is also linked to your glucose levels?
Let’s explore the latest research to learn about the relationship between our gut and our metabolic health—including how your body regulates glucose.
Gut health review
Gut health typically refers to the community of microorganisms living in your intestines, known as the gut microbiome.
Your gut microbiome is a complex community of trillions of bacteria and other microorganisms that live in your intestines. While some can be harmful, most of them are good for you—they help you break down food and turn it into nutrients your body can use.
A healthy gut means there are more good bacteria than harmful bacteria.
How do gut health and blood sugar affect one another?
Research is still being done, but recent studies have demonstrated a clear correlation between your gut microbiome and your metabolic health.
Studies show that certain good gut bacteria, such as Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli, can promote better glucose management by enhancing insulin sensitivity and reducing inflammation in the gut. And Akkermansia muciniphila, another beneficial bacteria, has shown to promote improved glucose management and insulin sensitivity by upregulating GLP-1.
Other studies show that short-chain fatty acids, which are made by certain gut bacteria when they break down fibers in your food, do good things for your metabolic health. They make your cells more responsive to insulin, help control your appetite, and even help your liver make glycogen.
Another study shows that a healthy gut promotes the secretion of metabolic hormones, including glucagons such as GLP-1. This hormone plays an important role in blood sugar control by increasing insulin levels when there’s glucose in the blood, helping to get glucose into your cells to improve blood sugar levels.
What does it mean?
Your blood sugar levels can significantly impact how your body feels and functions. That’s why stable blood glucose levels can be an important factor in supporting gut health and overall wellbeing.
When it comes to glucose control, it’s long been understood that diet matters, but now we know that a healthy gut microbiome is another piece to the puzzle, and if managing your blood sugar is a priority for you, your gut microbiome deserves some attention.
Along with following the good gut health tips in part one of our Gut Health series, consider adding Transform to your routine. Transform not only promotes healthy glucose metabolism, but it boosts the fiber content of your diet (which promotes the growth of beneficial gut bacteria) and contains 12 different enzymes to improve your digestive health!
Gut health series:
Your gut is the gateway to good health (part 1)
How does gut health affect your skin? (part 2)
For a balanced immune system, look to your gut (part 3)
Improve your mood by improving your gut health (part 4)
How a healthy gut can be the key to a healthy heart (part 5)