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The importance of the gastrointestinal microflora to the nutrition of the host
Author(s) -
COATES MARIE E.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
nutrition bulletin
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.933
H-Index - 40
eISSN - 1467-3010
pISSN - 1471-9827
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-3010.1987.tb00026.x
Subject(s) - host (biology) , gastrointestinal tract , microorganism , biology , gut microflora , polyunsaturated fatty acid , assimilation (phonology) , nutrient , food science , microbiology and biotechnology , bacteria , biochemistry , ecology , fatty acid , genetics , linguistics , philosophy
Summary The microflora of the gastrointestinal tract is responsible for considerable metabolic activity which could have beneficial or detrimental effects on the host. In gnotobiotic animals it has been clearly demonstrated that gut microorganisms synthesize vitamin K and the B complex, take part in the degradation and synthesis of proteins and other nitrogenous compounds, hydrogenate polyunsaturated fatty acids and effect extensive transformations of bile acids and sterols. In non‐ruminants the greatest microbial activity occurs in the lower gut, distal to the main areas of absorption, so that the end‐products are not readily utilized by a non‐coprophagous host. Human subjects on a low protein intake may derive some benefit from microbially recycled nitrogen but in subjects on adequate diets the presence of a microflora imposes a small demand on the host's nutrient economy. This is offset by the protection afforded by the “normal” gut microflora which provides an effective barrier against invasion by pathogens.