Imagine a bustling city inside your body, filled with countless tiny beings working around the clock.
This city is your gut—a vibrant community known as the gut microbiota, made up of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other microscopic organisms.
Some of these tiny residents can make you sick, but many are friendly helpers that play a big part in keeping you healthy.
One of the more mysterious members of this gut city is a tiny organism called Blastocystis, a type of protist (a single-celled creature).
It’s one of the most common microbes living in human guts worldwide. But like people, Blastocystiscomes in different types, called subtypes. Some subtypes live peacefully in your gut, while others can cause trouble.
In Singapore, scientists have been studying a particular trouble-making subtype called Blastocystis ST7. It’s been linked to diarrhea and gut discomfort, especially in parts of Asia where it’s more common. For years, researchers didn’t know exactly how this tiny protist caused problems—until now.
A team of scientists from the National University of Singapore, led by Professor Nicholas Gascoigne and Associate Professor Kevin Tan, made a breakthrough. One of the key researchers, Dr. Lukasz Wojciech, discovered that Blastocystis ST7 produces a chemical called indole-3-acetyldehyde (I3AA).
This substance acts like a little spark in the immune system, causing it to overreact and trigger inflammation in the gut. And when the gut gets inflamed, people often feel pain, bloating, or even get diarrhea.
But here’s the good news: the research team also found a way to calm the inflammation. Friendly bacteria known as lactobacilli, which are commonly found in fermented foods like yogurt and cheese, can help reduce the effects of I3AA. These helpful microbes act like peacekeepers, calming the immune system and helping restore balance in the gut.
That means enjoying foods rich in Lactobacillus might help people whose gut problems are linked to Blastocystis ST7. Instead of just fighting bad microbes with medicine, supporting good microbes through your diet could offer a gentle and natural way to improve your gut health.
This discovery not only solves a long-standing mystery about how Blastocystis ST7 causes harm but also opens the door to better treatment strategies.
It shows that not all Blastocystis subtypes are the same—some might be harmless, while others, like ST7, can disrupt gut balance. Knowing which subtype is present could help doctors make better decisions about how to treat gut issues.
Professor Gascoigne and his team are continuing their work to learn more about I3AA—whether it’s unique to ST7 and whether specific types of Lactobacillus work better than others in calming its effects. Their research could lead to new, targeted probiotics or dietary recommendations to prevent or treat inflammation caused by harmful gut microbes.
This study is part of a growing field of research that shows just how connected our gut health is to our overall wellbeing. Scientists are also exploring how foods and drinks like green tea, red wine, and high-fiber diets can support a healthy gut.
As we learn more about this hidden world inside us, it’s becoming clear that taking care of our gut—through smart food choices—can improve digestion, strengthen the immune system, and even support mental health.
The findings from this study were published in The EMBO Journal, and they remind us of an important truth: sometimes the smallest creatures can have the biggest impact on our health. And sometimes, the solution is as simple as a spoonful of yogurt.
For more information about gut health, please see recent studies about the crucial link between diet, gut health, and the immune system and results showing that Low-gluten, high-fiber diets boost gut health and weight loss.
For more information about gut health, please see recent studies about Navigating inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) with diet and results showing that Mycoprotein in diet may reduce risk of bowel cancer and improve gut health.
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