Ulcerative colitis, one form of irritable bowel syndrome, impacts around 1 million people globally. This form of irritable bowel syndrome is caused by imbalance in our gut microbiome when the proportion of bacteroidetes in our gut is more than that of firmicutes. In Fact decreased ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteridetes has been linked with IBD. Be it Ulcerative Colitis or Crohn’s disease, both are caused due to altered microbiome composition & reduced beneficial gut diversity.
Ulcerative Colitis causes inflammation in the middle section of the large intestine lining. It impacts only the colon & rectum( the last straight stretch of bowel that ends in anus). As the name suggests, Ulcerative Colitis causes ulcer in the digestive tract. If left untreated it can lead to colon cancer. The lesions only affect the innermost layer of the gut lining, called the mucosa, causing continuous damage that usually starts at the rectum and spreads into the colon.
A diverse, balanced & healthy gut microbiome can help reduce/eliminate ulcerative colitis related symptoms. In a recent study , it was discovered that people suffering from ulcerative colitis had 25% less diverse bacteria in their gut as compared to gut of health people( not suffering from this dreaded disease)
Let us discuss this disease in detail
As shared, ulcerative colitis causes inflammation in the lining of the large intestine. When this happens, it can cause digestive juices, toxic chemicals & undigested food particles to break through the abdominal wall. As a result, you can develop other chronic health conditions & infections that can be life threatening. Ulcerative colitis is classified by where the inflammation started to spread.
Gut dysbiosis that causes Ulcerative Colitis generally leads to an abundance of pathogenic microbes such as Escherichia coli, Clostridium difficile, Helicobacter and Salmonella (among others) that cause infections. In fact infection caused by these pathogens are strongly associated with Ulcerative Colitis.
It was also found that patients suffering from Ulcerative Colitis have less representation of beneficial bacteria such as Akkermansia, Faecalibacterium, Eubacterium, Ruminococcus and Phascolarctobacterium.
Ulcerative Colitis patients also had low level of firmicutes such as F. prausnitzii and Roseburia hominis that produce short chain fatty acid- butyrate, that fuels the cells of the gut lining, supports immune system function, improves our satiety level & regulates blood sugar level ( as such plays an anti-inflammatory role). Besides, Ulcerative Colitis patients have low level of probiotic lactobacillus.
The gut dysbiosis led chronic inflammation can also lead to leaky gut. When this happens, it creates holes in our gut lining through which toxic chemicals & undigested food particles can leak into the bloodstream which causes havoc on the body including allergies, food sensitivities, digestive issues, mental health issues & even skin problems.
Most people suffering from this dreaded disease generally resort to medication & antibiotics to get temporary relief. However, these medications have long term disastrous impact & can further lead to gut dysbiosis & chronic inflammation, opening the door for other diseases & serious digestive issues.
Symptoms of Ulcerative Colitis include
- Rectal Pain & Bleeding
- Diarrhea with blood or pus
- Chronic Fatigue
- Weight Loss
- Anxiety & Mood Swings
- Weak Immune System
- Severe Constipation
- Abdominal Pain
If you or your loved ones are suffering from any of these symptoms, you probably have a high risk of attracting Ulcerative Colitis(UC) or are suffering from it. We, at Genefitletics, help you decode health of your gut microbiome & provide you personalised dietary & lifestyle recommendations that can prevent inflammation, heal leaky gut & improve gut microbiome diversity, thereby eliminating conditions of Ulcerative Colitis. For more details, sign up for a free discovery call here.
