10 surprising facts about our gut!
We consider our gut our second brain, working constantly without us needing to think about it. Bacteria that protect us live there, and thanks to the gut, we absorb the nutrients we need to live. It is a unique organ, but do you know all the secrets of your gut?
When we think of our gut, we automatically think of digestion. But the role of the gut goes much, much further than that. Discover 10 surprising facts about our gut!
The gut: the second brain
1. Our gut is considered a 'second brain'. And rightly so! The 'enteric nervous system' (which controls our digestion) consists of 100 million nerve cells – which is more neurons than in the spinal cord.1
2. Gentle aerobic exercises are ideal for keeping the gut in shape: 'cardio' and strength training promote the absorption of nutrients.
3. The gut system is unique to everyone. Even identical twins, who share 99.5% of the same DNA, share only about 20% of their gut flora.2
4. The small intestine is longer than the large intestine. The small intestine measures about 5 to 6 meters, while the large intestine is only 1.5 m long.3
If you were to lay it out, the gut would cover a tennis court of about 250 m²!3
Nearly 2 kg: the weight of the microbiota!
5. There are ten times as many microbes living in the gut as in the rest of the human body. This amounts to a total of 100,000 billion microbes of no fewer than 5,000 different species, weighing about 2 kilos. This forms the microbiota.4
6. The gut microbiota begins to develop in babies even before birth. The type of delivery (vaginal birth or caesarean section) and the feeding (breastfeeding or formula) have a major impact on the development and diversity of the microbiota. The gut microbiota continues to develop until the age of 2 to 3, at which point it is mature.4
7. The gut and the microbes that house it play an important role in our general health. A high diversity of microbes is good for our health. However, poor diet, an urban environment, and lack of contact with animals lead to a weakened microbiota. For example, a child growing up in a household with a pet is thought to have a lower risk of allergies.4
Our gut and our mood
8. About 70% of immune cells live in the gut.5
9. The gut influences our mood and vice versa.6
10. Now for a little history… Leonardo da Vinci thought (incorrectly) that the gut helped us breathe. In his unpublished notes, he wrote: “The intestines, with the compressed air created within them, push the diaphragm upwards; the diaphragm presses against the lungs and forces the air out.”
Scientific references
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