Does the Microbiome Interact with the Human Endocrine System?

Does the Microbiome Interact with the Human Endocrine System?

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By Hidaya Aliouche, B.Sc.

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• What are the different metabolites produced?
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• Microbial components – a role as endocrine effectors?

Whilst the effect of the microbiome on the digestive system has been studied over the past decade, the understanding of its effect on the endocrine system is less well understood.

The endocrine system synthesizes and secrete hormones to regulate physiological processes. Interestingly the gut microbiome is an endocrine organ itself; metabolomic and metagenomic studies have revealed bacterial metabolites and components that affect organ function and subsequently, physiological outcomes. Bacterial- derived metabolites and components may act locally with the host, activating cell receptors or neural terminations, as well as distally through circulatory dissemination. Their mechanism of action is varied- paracrine, endocrine and nervous - yet all converge on influencing endocrine function.