Bacteria in your gut help break down certain complex carbohydrates and dietary fibers that you can’t break down on your own. They produce short-chain fatty acids — an important nutrient — as byproducts. They also provide the enzymes necessary to synthesize certain vitamins, including B1, B9, B12 and K.

Beneficial microbes in your gut help to train your immune system to tell them apart from the unhelpful, pathogenic types. Your gut is your largest immune system organ, containing up to 80% of your body’s immune cells. These cells help to clear out the many pathogens that pass through it every day.

Short-chain fatty acids, the byproducts of helpful gut bacteria, help maintain your gut barrier, keeping the bacteria and bacterial toxins inside from escaping into your bloodstream. They also have anti-inflammatory properties for your gut.

This show aired Friday August 9th on KDAR 98.3 FM.