We are walking around with an average of 4 pounds of live bacteria in our bodies, the largest concentration of which is in our intestines.
The Human Microbiome Project is a large undertaking by the National Institute of Health to help understand and characterize the role this bacteria, which are part of what makes up our microbiome. (the microbiome also consists of viruses, fungi, and other microorganisms.)
As we know, there are beneficial bacteria as well as harmful ones, and an imbalance of bacteria has been linked to many diseases from obesity to Alzheimer’s and certainly the Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD), Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Look up any disease and you will see an article with a title such as “Microbes play a role in heart disease, neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, diabetes, etc.”
I’m no scientist but being a parent of a child who has had Crohn’s disease for 15 years, I have followed the discovery of and research into the role these billions of tiny organisms play in our health. Studying these little buggers that are enormously important, is very complex. Progress has been made in the field of IBD in identifying the types of bacteria that exist and looking at people with IBD and their population of bacteria in comparison to people who do not have IBD. It is so complicated as bacteria vary from person to person and changes every day. We know that factors such as having a C-section as opposed to vaginal delivery, diets, environment, where you live, your gender, exercise and basically everything alters the bacteria in our bodies.
In the meantime, while the smart people are doing research and identifying all these complex factors and how they affect health, the probiotic (beneficial bacteria) industry has exploded. But there is much confusion over these products because the science is not quite there yet to back up if it is beneficial to take these supplements. A recent study concluded that the probiotics did not change the composition of fecal microbiota. There are also so many strains of these bacteria and since each person is different, it is not yet clear who would benefit from what type of product. Probiotics are a billion dollar industry yet the products are not regulated by the FDA and so it is difficult for the average consumer to figure out if and what products they might benefit from. This being said, there are some very reputable companies selling these products and there is some research on probiotics and disease but like many things when trying to figure out the best thing to do for your health, it is very confusing.
Recently we have been hearing more about microFood (also known as prebiotics) which are non-digestible carbohydrates that nourish good bacteria (probiotics). Basically they are the food for these good bacteria to help them thrive in our guts. There are fibrous foods that contain microFood (onions, garlic, cabbage, beans) but many people do not get enough fiber in their diets thus their good bacteria might be starving! There is also a subset of bacteria that require a totally different kind of microFood: fermented microFood. You can get this in fermented foods, but you have to eat at least a cup at every meal to get enough.
But guess what? There are microFood supplements and my son, Lowell who has Crohn’s disease, and I have been trying one for the past 6 weeks. We have been using ISOThrive, a little packet of microFood nectar daily and so far we both notice less bloating and we anticipate more benefits. According to Peter Swann, M.D., FACOEM, FAAFP, Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer of the company, many people have reported other positive effects including digestive regularity, increased feeling of satiety, decreased heartburn symptoms, and even improved mood and more energy.
Their product is a fermented soluble fiber made from a patented process and is similar to what occurs when foods are fermented. But look at the FAQ’s on their website to get a better understanding.
I recently spoke with Peter Swann about ISOThrive to find out more about it.
The company has been around for 4 years and the product has been on the market since 2016. They have conducted some studies on the benefits of the product with positive outcomes that have also proved the product to be safe.
The ISOThrive microFood, as mentioned, feeds good bacteria which helps strengthen the colon’s tight junctions, to help avoid leaky gut, another topic that is becoming more and more of interest. Once thought of as not a real issue, leaky gut is now being considered by the medical field as something that can affect health, as it means that undigested food particles and toxins leak from the gut into the blood stream. That can lead to systemic inflammation. And what is at the core of many autoimmune diseases? Inflammation!
MicroFood, like the kind found in ISOThrive can help alleviate this by providing the right kind of food for the good bacteria to thrive and protect the colon.
According to Swann, microFood does not contain bacteria so it is able to pass through the acidic environment of the stomach and make its way into the colon intact where it feeds the beneficial bacteria. In This article in Scientific American Stanford biology professor Justin Sonnenburg talks about how it is likely that the benefits of fiber might be the answer to improving the make up of the microbiome. Simply, rather than add beneficial bacteria in the form of probiotics, feed the ones that are already there to help them become stronger and thus lead to better overall health.
So what to make of all this? It is often hard for the regular consumer or those of us who are trying to make the right choice about what might be helpful for a chronic illness or autoimmune disease. I find this one of the most difficult things about being a caregiver and also just a person interested in improving and supporting my own health. There is so much information out there, and it is often conflicting and confusing to figure out. The best thing is to do as much research as you can, talk to your doctor, especially if you are dealing with a serious illness. In IBD, everyone’s disease is different so one thing that helps one person, maybe not help someone else.
ISOThrive is a well made product with doctors and scientists recommending it’s health benefits.
Disclaimer: Please discuss with your doctor if ISOthrive is right for you. ISOThrive sent us samples of the product to try and since we felt a positive impact, I asked to interview the Co-founder to get more information to provide to our readers.
