Good & Bad Microbiome Bacteria

On average, about 100 trillion of beneficial (or probiotic) bacteria inhabit your intestinal tract. Combined, they reportedly weight between two and three pounds. Among other things, they appear to impact several key functions: production of vitamins, creation of anti-inflammatory substances along with chemicals that relay messages to and among brain cells, and help with immune defenses. Some say that more than 3/4ths of gut bacteria need to be “good” strains, such as Bifidobacteria or Lactobacillus. As individuals age, sometimes their microbiome shows a decrease in “good strains and an increase in “bad strains” such as Enterobacteria and Clostridium difficile (associated with diarrhea).