Imbalance of the Intestinal Flora (Dysbiosis): Prevention

To prevent dysbiosis (imbalance of intestinal flora), attention must be paid to reducing individual risk factors.

Behavioral risk factors

  • Diet
    • Malnutrition and undernutrition – a.o. also.
      • Low fiber diet
      • Too much sugar (mono- and disaccharides; especially sucrose) and white flour products
    • Micronutrient deficiency (vital substances) – see prevention with micronutrients.
  • Consumption of stimulants
    • Alcohol
    • Coffee
    • Tobacco (smoking)
  • Psycho-social situation
    • Stress

Medication

  • Analgesics
  • Antibiotics (broad spectrum of activity reduces microbial diversity)Note: The broader the spectrum of activity and the longer the duration of therapy, the greater the microbiome damage!
    • The frequent or long-term treatment of premature infants with antibiotics led to a strong disturbance of the intestinal flora: fewer “healthy” bacterial groups such as Bifidobacteriaceae (the only bacterial family in the order of Bifidobacteriales) and more frequently “unhealthy” species such as Proteobacteria (= “microbiotic scar”) were found in a follow-up examination at the age of 21 months.
    • The bacterial flora is largely regenerated within 30 to 90 days after drug treatment, but it changes their interplay with fungi, which also colonize the intestine.
  • Antidepressants
  • Antihistamines
  • Beta blockers
  • Benzodiazepines
  • Corticoids (cortisol)
  • Laxatives (osmotic laxatives)
  • Metformin
  • Ovulation inhibitor
  • Proton pump inhibitors (proton pump inhibitors, PPI; acid blockers) (due toblocked gastric acid production).
  • Statins
  • Cytostatics
  • Et al.

X-rays

  • Radiatio (radiotherapy)

Environmental pollution – intoxications