A healthy microbiota: 85% 15% beneficial, pathogenic gram-positive bacteria bacteria Gut Health Impact of a Healthy Impact of an Unhealthy Microbiota Microbiota is More than a Microbiota metabolizes SCFA, enzymes, Gut Instinct Microbes compete with host for nutrients amino acids, and many B vitamins Decrease fat digestibility by SCFA stimulate gut epithelial cell deconjugating bile acids proliferation and increase villus height (Gaskin, 2001) (De Vadder et al, 2014 Can produce toxic compounds (ammonia, amines, phenols, cresol, indoles) Competitive exclusion of pathogenic (Klis et al, 2002) bacteria once established Microbiota accelerates turnover rates of Maintains immune homeostasis by enterocytes and goblet cells leading to preventing inflammation high rates of metabolism and protein (Lei et al, 2015) synthesis (Summers, 1991; Cant et al, 1996)