Bacteria - BacteroidesUpdated a year ago
Bacteroides are a beneficial bacteria that are found in the intestinal tract. It is one of the most common bacteria making up roughly 25% of the average human gut microbiome. Bacteroides help to break down fiber and use it as a fuel source. Bacteroides help to decrease inflammation by producing propionate (a short-chain fatty acid) from indigestible fibers in foods such as potatoes and whole grains. Bacteroides cannot be directly put into probiotic supplements with current technology, but there is a lot you can do to boost existing levels such as eating foods high in resistant starch. Something to note is that some studies have shown that the bacteria Prevotella and Bacteroides have an inverse correlation with each other, causing some people to have high levels of prevotella and low levels of Bacteroides and vice versa and still be healthy. For most people though Bacteroides is a key player in a healthy microbiome. If you want to read more, I have linked an article below.