09/03/2023
𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗴𝘂𝘁 𝗯𝗮𝘤𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗮 𝗹𝗼𝘤𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱?
Well, if it's called 'gut bacteria' then they must all be in the stomach right? Wrong.
While we have bacterial organisms throughout our digestive system, including those specific to each area of it, the greatest numbers of them can be found in our large intestines. There are smaller numbers of these gut bacteria found in your stomach and small intestines as well, but the biggest amount (trillions and trillions and trillions and trillions of them) will be in the large intestines.
Now to give you a quick simplified digestion anatomy lesson... the large intestines are located at the end of your digestive system. Food moves from your mouth, down your oesophagus, into your stomach, then small intestines, THEN your large intestines, and finally out as waste.
The majority of the important roles that your gut bacteria play in your digestion occur in the large intestines. By this point food is broken down to where it can be easily utilised, transit is at a slower pace, and the environment (oxygen/acids/etc levels) are perfect for its needs.
So all these lovely images you might might have seen or imagined of these amazing little critters gathering in your stomach are slightly incorrect. Some do, but most of them live a little bit further along the path in your intestines.