The microbiota plays an important role in maintaining our health. The human microbiome is now considered as a single metabolically active organ. The microbiota and our body's mucous membranes are constantly interacting and mutually influencing each other.
One of the main functions of the microbiota is to build colonisation resistance. This is a mechanism on our mucous membranes that prevents ‘bad’, exogenous or external microorganisms from colonising and overgrowing. Nature does not tolerate emptiness. If the mucous membranes are tightly closed by normal healthy biofilms, these mucous membranes cannot ‘repopulate’ pathogenic bacteria. Normal microbiota will not let them in. This is an important defence mechanism.
Competition for attachment sites on mucous membranes and food sources. Competition for attachment to mucosal bacteria is fierce in the microbial world. There is a scientific term called adhesion. Before bacterial inflammation occurs, there must be adhesion or ‘sticking’ of pathogenic bacteria on a particular area of mucosa or skin. Our healthy microflora does not allow adhesion to occur.
Gas exchange. The microbiome is involved in the regulation of gas exchange in the gut and other body cavities.
Production of enzymes involved in the metabolism of proteins, fats, carbohydrates.
Detoxification. The normal healthy microbiota actively detoxify the body
Formation of free metabolites, formation of bile.
Increased resistance of epithelial cells to mutagens or carcinogens. Coming from the external or internal environment, mutgens are able to cause mutation on mucous membranes and, consequently, lead to the development of cancer. Preventing mutagens from affecting the mucosal cell is one of the functions of the microbiota. If the microbiota is of high quality, the mucosa will be protected, including from the effects of mutagens.
Carcinolytic function. If there is a breakdown in the genome of the cell, and it begins unrestrained growth, it means the formation of cancer. Normal microbiota producing its enzymes, interferons, will have a ‘stopping’ effect on the tumour.
Gene storage function. The microbiome is a giant repository of microbial, plasmid and chromosomal genes. Possible deletion, insertion of genes, ‘repair of broken’ genes occurs due to the presence of microbial plasmid repository. It turns out that the cells of the immune system, the cells that control genetic purity, always have material at hand to ‘patch’, ‘repair’ any failures in the human genome.