Skip to content.
Close
Gut Health

New In Gut Health: The Essential Role of Fungus

New In Gut Health: The Essential Role of Fungus

At​ ​this​ ​point​ ​you’re​ ​likely​ ​aware​ ​that​ ​bacteria​ ​plays​ ​a​ ​role​ ​in​ ​digestive​ ​health,​ ​and​ ​that​ ​there’s good​ ​bacteria​ ​as​ ​well​ ​as​ ​bad​ ​bacteria​ ​despite​ ​the​ ​generally​ ​negative​ ​association​ ​we’re​ ​prone​ ​to have​ ​with​ ​the​ ​word.​ ​What​ ​you​ ​probably​ ​don’t​ ​know:​ ​The​ ​same​ ​goes​ ​for​ ​fungi.

“Both​ ​of​ ​these​ ​communities,​ ​bacteria​ ​and​ ​fungi,​ ​live​ ​in​ ​our​ ​bodies,”​ ​says​ ​Mahmoud​ ​Ghannoum, Ph.D.,​ ​the​ ​scientist​ ​who​ ​coined​ ​the​ ​term​ ​mycobiome.​ ​“Good​ ​bacteria​ ​is​ ​only​ ​half​ ​of​ ​the​ ​story, because​ ​in​ ​our​ ​bodies​ ​we​ ​have​ ​both​ ​good​ ​bacteria​ ​and​ ​good​ ​fungus​ ​together.”

The​ ​digestive​ ​system​ ​alone​ ​is​ ​host​ ​to​ ​some​ ​50​ ​species​ ​of​ ​fungus,​ ​and​ ​fungi​ ​​​imbalance​ ​throws off​ ​your​ ​gut​ ​health​ ​just​ ​like​ ​​ ​a​ ​bacterial​ ​imbalance​ ​does.

More​ ​to​ ​the​ ​point​ ​(and​ ​the​ ​problem)​ ​is​ ​that​ ​taken​ ​together,​ ​bad​ ​fungi​ ​and​ ​bad​ ​bacteria​ ​form​ ​a plaque​ ​along​ ​the​ ​lining​ ​of​ ​your​ ​digestive​ ​tract,​ ​which​ ​provides​ ​a​ ​protective​ ​home​ ​for​ ​the​ ​bad microbes​ ​to​ ​stay,​ ​making​ ​it​ ​significantly​ ​more​ ​difficult​ ​to​ ​relieve​ ​​ ​gut​ ​health​ ​problems​ ​like bloating,​ ​cramping,​ ​and​ ​gas​ ​—​ ​just​ ​to​ ​name​ ​a​ ​few.

The​ ​good​ ​news​ ​is​ ​there​ ​are​ ​a​ ​number​ ​of​ ​lifestyle​ ​choices​ ​you​ ​can​ ​make​ ​that​ ​will​ ​get​ ​your​ ​gut​ ​on the​ ​right​ ​track.​ ​Eating a​ ​healthy​ ​diet​ ​with​ ​prebiotic​ ​and​ ​probiotic​ ​foods​ ​(p​re​biotic​ ​means​ ​they encourage​ ​the​ ​growth​ ​of​ ​beneficial​ ​microorganisms​ ​in​ ​your​ ​gut)​ ​like​ ​avocados,​ ​soft unpasteurized​ ​cheeses,​ ​fermented​ ​foods,​ ​garlic,​ ​peas,​ ​whole-grain​ ​breads,​ ​and​ ​soy​ ​beans​ ​as well​ ​as​ ​properly​ ​managing​ ​stress​ ​​ ​—​ ​can​ ​help​ ​optimize​ ​​ ​digestive​ ​balance. But​ ​lifestyle​ ​changes alone​ ​may​ ​not​ ​be​ ​enough​ ​for​ ​everyone.

BIOHM gut quiz

The​ ​role​ ​of​ ​fungi​ ​has​ ​been​ ​largely​ ​ignored​ ​in​ ​favor​ ​of​ ​focusing​ ​on​ ​bacteria,​ ​which​ ​has​ ​really​ ​just started​ ​to​ ​change​ ​in​ ​the​ ​past​ ​10​ ​years.​ ​Most​ ​of​ ​that​ ​research​ ​has​ ​come​ ​from​ ​Dr.​ ​Ghannoum, who​ ​currently​ ​directs​ ​the​ ​Center​ ​for​ ​Medical​ ​Mycology​ ​at​ ​Case​ ​Western​ ​Reserve​ ​University,​ ​and whose​ ​work​ ​has​ ​been​ ​funded​ ​by​ ​the​ ​National​ ​Institutes​ ​of​ ​Health​ ​for​ ​more​ ​than​ ​20​ ​years.​ ​“We have​ ​to​ ​study​ ​fungi​ ​because​ ​when​ ​you​ ​disrupt​ ​this​ ​balance​ ​you​ ​are​ ​causing​ ​other​ ​problems,”​ ​he says.

Dr. Ghannoum, The Scientist That Named the Mycobiome

Dr. Ghannoum, The Scientist That Named the Mycobiome

Once​ ​his​ ​findings​ ​about​ ​the​ ​role​ ​of​ ​fungi​ ​in​ ​digestion​ ​were​ ​out​ ​there,​ ​he​ ​says,​ ​people​ ​began​ ​to ask​ ​him​ ​about​ ​how​ ​they​ ​could​ ​address​ ​fungal​ ​imbalance.​ ​The​ ​problem,​ ​he​ ​found,​ ​was​ ​that​ ​no probiotic​ ​on​ ​the​ ​market​ ​was​ ​designed​ ​to​ ​​ ​address​ ​the​ ​dual​ ​role​ ​of​ ​bacteria​ ​and​ ​​ ​fungi​ ​in​ ​the​ ​gut. “In​ ​a​ ​probiotic,​ ​you​ ​need​ ​to​ ​introduce​ ​good​ ​bacteria​ ​and​ ​good​ ​fungi.​ ​Why?​ ​Because​ ​they​ ​work together​ ​to​ ​break​ ​down​ ​digestive​ ​plaque,​ ​”​ ​Dr.​ ​Ghannoum​ ​explains.​ ​As​ ​an​ ​answer,​ ​he​ ​created BIOHM​,​ ​a​ ​new​ ​suite​ ​of​ ​probiotics​ ​specifically​ ​engineered​ ​to address​ ​the​ ​gut’s​ ​total​ ​microbiome​ ​of​ ​bacteria​ ​and​ ​fungi.​ ​Based​ ​on​ ​a​ ​decade​ ​of​ ​his​ ​research studying​ ​the​ ​DNA​ ​of​ ​the​ ​microbiome,​ ​he​ ​also​ ​created​ ​the​ ​BIOHM​ ​Gut​ ​Report​ ​Kit​ —​ ​the​ ​most​ ​comprehensive​ ​gut​ ​analysis​ ​​ ​that’s​ ​ever been​ ​available​ ​to​ ​consumers, and the BIOHM Candida Report, which allows people to get specific insights into the Candida species and levels present in their digestive systems.

“If​ ​you​ ​just​ ​focus​ ​on​ ​bacteria,​ ​you​ ​allow​ ​the​ ​fungi​ ​to​ ​overgrow,”​ ​says​ ​Dr.​ ​Ghannoum.​ ​“When​ ​they overgrow,​ ​you​ ​can​ ​start​ ​to​ ​have​ ​digestive​ ​problems.”​ ​​ ​So,​ ​if​ ​you’ve​ ​been​ ​frustrated​ ​trying​ ​to optimize​ ​your​ ​digestive​ ​health,​ ​you​ ​now​ ​know​ ​that​ ​you​ ​have​ ​to​ ​address​ ​both​ ​bacteria​ ​and​ ​fungi.

How​ ​will​ ​you​ ​know​ ​if​ ​it’s​ ​making​ ​a​ ​difference?​ ​You’ll​ ​feel​ ​it​ ​in​ ​your​ ​gut.

Related Articles

  • Boosting Immunity Through Gut Health: The Power of Probiotics

    In recent years, we’ve become more aware of the intricate relationship between our gut and overall health. One of the most remarkable aspects of this connection is how the gut...

  • Unlocking the Gut-Brain Connection: How Your Microbiome Affects Your Mind

    The link between gut health and mental well-being might sound surprising, but it's backed by a growing body of research. Known as the gut-brain axis, this connection reveals that your...

  • The Science of a Balanced Gut: How Probiotics & Prebiotics Work Together

    Achieving a healthy gut is essential for overall well-being, and one of the most effective ways to nurture your gut microbiome is by understanding the role of probiotics and prebiotics....