Gut Microbiota in Health and Disease: A Path to Personalized Medicine
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Abstract
This paper reviews groundbreaking research uncovering the precise dynamics of how nutrients in food affect the gut microbiota and how the gut microbiota in turn affects health in individualized ways. Throughout this paper, the nuances of these dynamics are explored, and the concept of precision nutrition and its practical implications are laid out. Microbes significantly impact how the body processes nutrients from food. It is clear that nutrients and chemicals in food directly influence the structure of gut bacterial communities, protecting against dysbiosis and benefiting health. However, it was not fully understood about the precise dynamics of how nutrients in food impact the gut microbiota and how these microbes in turn affect health, in individualized ways. Recently, in a series of ground-breaking studies, researchers filled in many details of this big picture, investigating detailed mechanisms of action and execution. This research offers the promise of personalized dietary guidance based on an individual’s unique gut microbiota. Microbes are deeply intertwined with health and well-being. The microbiome can be considered a vital organ because of its critical functions for the host. One crucial function is the role that commensal microbes play in the pharmacological bioactivation of inactive compounds, including drugs. This complicated series of actions further validates the need for a better understanding of the genetics in response to therapeutic agents.
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