Your Gut Microbiome May Influence Your Body Temperature
Your gut microbiome plays a matrix of roles in keeping your body functioning optimally. From influencing your metabolism, to organ health, to mental health just to name a few. You may be surprised to read that your gut microbiome may also influence the temperature of your body.
Around 70% of your immune system is in your gut. One response to a foreign invader is an increase in body temperature to fight off infection. A new study has provided new insight to the possible link between your gut microbiome in efficiently increasing your body temperature when infection occurs.
116 participants were studied in a cohort research design. A family of microbes called Lachnospiraceae and a phylum called Firmicutes were strongly associated with participants who had a higher fever. The Firmicutes produce important metabolites which influence an optimal immune response.
The researchers confirmed the effects of the impact of the gut microbiome through investigating the effects of mice without a microbiome to those with a gut microbiome. The mice with a gut microbiome where able to regulate their body temperature when sepsis occurred while the mice without a gut microbiome resulted in a lower body temperature. The ability to vary body temperature was strongly associated with Lachnospiraceae, the same family of microbes found in the human participants studied.
To create your optimal gut microbiome there are many lifestyle factors which you can choose to support this, one being your diet. A healthy lifestyle strategy can be to include 30 different plant-based foods a week. Whole foods like wholegrains and wholegrain containing foods such as Corn Thins slices, nuts, seeds, legumes, fruits, and vegetables. Also, including 2-3 probiotic rich foods a day such as tempeh, miso, or yoghurt.
Being mindful of the amount of animal-based protein in your diet is also a smart strategy. Including 2-3 serves of seafood a week, aiming for no more than 350-500g of red meat a week, minimizing processed meats and including a few meat free meals substituted with plant-based proteins each week are all gut loving habits.
Take home message: Seeing as though around 70% of your immune system is located in your gut the fact that your microbiome may influence your body temperature to be able to fight off infection is not surprising. To keep your body and immune system response functioning optimally remember to look after the health of your gut microbiome.
References:
- Bongers KS, Chanderraj R, Woods RJ, McDonald RA, Adame MD, Falkowski NR, Brown CA, Baker JM, Winner KM, Fergle DJ, Hinkle KJ, Standke AK, Vendrov KC, Young VB, Stringer KA, Sjoding MW, Dickson RP. The Gut Microbiome Modulates Body Temperature Both in Sepsis and Health. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2022 Nov 15. doi: 10.1164/rccm.202201-0161OC. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36378114.
- Geddes L. The fever paradox. New Sci. 2020 Apr 11;246(3277):39-41. doi: 10.1016/S0262-4079(20)30731-4. Epub 2020 Apr 10. PMID: 32372807; PMCID: PMC7195085.