What is the gut microbiome?

Bloating after lunch, an energy slump at 4pm, a belly that seems to have a say in your mood: the culprit lives in your gut.

It is sometimes called our "second brain", but let's start more simply: the gut microbiome is the whole community of bacteria, yeasts and other microorganisms living in your intestine. Tens of trillions of them, to be precise — enough to populate a big city, only far more discreetly.

A balanced microbiome is not a "clean", empty gut — it is a well-populated one.

Far from being unwanted squatters, these microorganisms work for you: they help digestion, produce certain vitamins, train your immune system and even communicate with your brain.

The right species, in the right amounts: that, in one sentence, is what a healthy microbiome means.

This article is part of ILINNE's free fundamentals — reviewed by a doctor, written to be understood the first time.