How Environmental Toxins Affect Gut Health—and What You Can Do About It

Are you curious about the impact of the environment on gut health? That’s valid! Our environment influences our gut health, and our gut health influences our overall health.

An Imbalance in Gut Microbiota

The gut microbiome is home to bacteria, viruses, fungi, and microbes. These microorganisms play a valuable role in digestion, immunity, and vitamin synthesis. Gut dysbiosis occurs when the balance of beneficial bacteria is disturbed and is linked to many adverse health effects, including short-term consequences like indigestion and weakened immunity. It is also linked with chronic conditions such as obesity, digestive disorders, autoimmune diseases, and some mood disorders. Dysbiosis is often a result of diet, medications, and of course, environmental toxins.

Environmental Pollutants on Gut Health

We can be exposed to toxins through consumption, inhalation, and touch. Common pollutants include pesticides, herbicides, heavy metals, and air pollution.

Pesticides and herbicides are used in agricultural practices and can harm the gut microbiome when consumed. Glyphosate is one herbicide commonly used to kill weeds. Studies show that it may disrupt normal processes of the digestive enzymes lipase and trypsin, as well as an abundance of the beneficial bacteria Bifidobacteria. 

Chlorpyrifos is an insecticide that may compromise the intestinal barrier of the gut. In an animal study, mice exposed to chlorpyrifos-altered microbiota gained more fat and had lower insulin sensitivity, indicating a link between the insecticide and inflammation and obesity-related disorders.

Heavy metals include mercury, lead, cadmium, and more.  Heavy metals may reduce the amount of certain beneficial bacteria in our gut, including lactobacillus and bifidobacteria. Completely avoiding exposure to heavy metals is unrealistic, but a healthy gut can help your body naturally detoxify from these metals. Unfortunately, this also means an unhealthy gut can reduce effectiveness at ridding these toxins from the body.

Air pollution consists of various gases, such as ozone, nitric oxide, and carbon monoxide, and particulate matter, such as pollen, mineral dust, and nitrates. Epidemiological studies link air pollution with gut diseases, including Crohn’s disease and irritable bowel syndrome. Animal studies demonstrate that exposure to particulate matter may shift the composition and abundance of bacteria in the gut microbiome.

Strategies to Mitigate the Impact of Environmental Pollutants

Luckily, we can take steps to minimize the risk from environmental pollutants.

• Nutrient-dense diet: Include a diet rich in whole plant foods. The fiber found in plants helps feed beneficial gut bacteria to promote a diverse microbiome. Additionally, plants contain antioxidants which help minimize oxidative stress from toxins, protecting the body and gut from damage.

• Minimizing Exposure: Consider air and water filters to reduce toxin exposure in your home and office environment. When looking for an air filter, look for HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) filters, which are equipped to remove very fine particulate matter that may otherwise go unaffected. Water filter options include activated carbon filters, reverse osmosis systems, and distillation methods. They can be selected based on your price point and the quality of the water in your location.

• Probiotics, Prebiotics, and Supplements: Incorporate both probiotic and prebiotic-rich foods in the diet to help restore and maintain a healthy gut microbiome. Probiotic foods include fermented foods like kimchi, yogurt, and kefir, whereas prebiotic foods are found in some fiber-rich foods like bananas, onion, and garlic. If you struggle to incorporate these foods into the diet, you can consider a pre- or probiotic supplement for additional support.

• Detoxification: Our body has systems to eliminate toxins. Two outputs of this process are urine and sweat. You can support your body’s natural detox pathways by properly hydrating and regularly sweating through physical activity.

By creating a healthier environment to live in, you can create a healthier intestinal environment for your gut microbiome to live in. Try these above strategies, and let us know what helps support your gut health in the comments below!

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