COMPENDIUM ON FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE - Flipbook - Page 806
● May damage the gut barrier [52]
● Often correlates with inflammatory bowel conditions [53]
● Can produce characteristic symptoms like sulfur-smelling gas
[54]
Inflammatory Pathways
Modern testing can identify activation of inflammatory pathways,
including:
● Histamine production [55]
● Secondary bile acid formation [56]
● Ammonia accumulation [57]
● Phenolic compound generation [58]
These pathways help explain how dysbiosis contributes to
symptomatic presentations [59].
Keystone Species and Their Clinical Significance
Certain microbial species play disproportionately important roles in
gut ecology [60]. These "keystone" species often:
● Influence the growth of numerous other organisms [61]
● Perform critical metabolic functions [62]
● Support gut barrier integrity [63]
● Regulate immune system function [64]
Understanding the status of these keystone species provides
valuable clinical insights:
Akkermansia muciniphila
This mucin-degrading bacterium plays critical roles in:
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