Gut health

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What is Gut Health?

Gut is your GI (gastrointestinal) system which comprises of stomach, large and small intestine and colon. The Gut Health plays a very important role in overall physical and mental well being, and it is influenced by factors such as your lifestyle, diet, stress levels, and most importantly gut microbiome.

What is Gut microbiome?

A Human Body is made of billions & billions of bacteria which is very important for our survival. The composition of all the micro-organisms (bacteria, virus, parasites, and fungus) in your gut is known as the gut microbiome.

Every person has their own unique gut microbiome which consists of different kinds of micro-organisms. Your lifestyle, diet, and environmental exposures all contribute to the various micro-organisms seen in your gut. These microbes can be beneficial to you, or can also cause harm to your body. It is important to maintain a health gut microbiome.

Why is gut microbiome important?

Our gut microbes have a symbiotic relationship to us. Our body provides food for the microbes to thrive and survive, and they in turn help our body in different ways, including keeping the harmful microbes in check. If our gut microbiome population consists of healthy microbes, we have a healthy gut microbiome, however, if our gut microbial population consists of harmful microbes, we have an unhealthy microbiome and that can be associated with different conditions, including fertility problems.

What is dysbiosis?

An unhealthy or imbalanced state of microbes in the body which disrupts the microbiome causing imbalances is known as “dysbiosis.” Dysbiosis is a condition wherein:

  1. There is excessive growth of bad or harmful bacteria
  2. The good or beneficial bacteria is depleted
  3. Bacterial biodiversity is affected
  4. The microbes metabolic activities and functional composition are changed

In a dysbiotic state, because the population of  “good” bacteria are depleted, it causes your body to be more susceptible to pathogenic microbes that can cause diseases. Some of the factors that can cause a dysbiotic state include:

  1. Environmental toxins such as tobacco, pollution, nitrogen dioxide, and carbon monoxide cause harmful effects to your microbiome
  2. Antibiotics kill all the bacteria in your gut, which causes a loss of microbial diversity
  3. Diets rich in sugar and processed food causes an increase in harmful bacteria. Substituting these foods with food rich in antioxidants and fibre can help improve the microbial flora in the gut.

How does gut health affect my fertility?

Your gut health plays a significant role in your body’s overall health, including your fertility. Recent research shows that there is an association between the microbes in your gut and your reproductive health.

  1. Gut Microbiome and Hormonal Balance – Your gut microbiome can influence the production and circulation of the hormone oestrogen, which is essential for fertility. A healthy gut balances oestrogen levels in the body. Any imbalance to this can affect your menstrual cycle, ovulation, egg quality, and embryo implantation. In a case of dysbiosis, there may be excessive secretion of oestrogen which is linked to diseases that affect fertility like endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
  2. Gut Health & Nutrient Absorption – A person with a healthy gut can absorb essential nutrients such as folate, vitamin D, zinc, and omega-3 fatty acids, which are critical for fertility. Absorption of these nutrients are important for sperm and egg quality. Poor digestion and nutrient absorption may lead to deficiencies, which could impair reproductive health.
  3. Gut Health & Pregnancy – Emerging research has shown a positive association between embryo implantation rates and successful pregnancy with gut health. A balanced gut microbial population  contributes to a healthier pregnancy. Studies have found that an imbalance in the gut microbiome or dysbiosis can be associated with implantation failure as well as pregnancy complications like gestational diabetes and preeclampsia, which can affect the health of the pregnancy.
  4. Gut Health & other functions – Male and female fertility are hindered when there is increased amounts of stress in the body which may be attributed to poor gut health. This is because in cases of increased stress, hormones like cortisol are elevated. Cortisol negatively impacts fertility by disrupting the hormonal balance in your body and can interfere in the production of sperm in men and affect ovulation in women.
  5. Poor gut health is also associated with chronic low-grade inflammation and affects immune response which can negatively impact the functioning of your reproductive organs. In conditions like endometriosis or autoimmune disorders, gut health may influence how the immune system behaves, potentially making fertility challenges more complex.

How can I improve my gut health for fertility?

  • Eating foods rich in probiotics and prebiotics such as yogurt and foods high in fibre.
  • Taking synbiotic supplementation (combination of pro- and prebiotics) which is seen to improve your chances of fertility.
  • Eating a balanced healthy diet that is rich in whole foods, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and lean protein
  • Avoiding processed food, refined sugar, and unhealthy fats
  • Managing stress by incorporating techniques like mediation and yoga in your daily activity
  • Getting appropriate sleep, exercise & rest.

At Akruti IVF, we have specialised doctors to help you improve your chances of fertility by improving your overall health and optimizing your gut health which may be compromising your chances of parenthood.