In my last post I mentioned how B12 deficiency can result from eating a vegan diet unless a B12 supplement is taken. This made me wonder if this was a new development since originally Adam and Eve ate a plant-based diet. After a little research I learned that B12 is made in the gut by bacteria, but few people make enough to stay health. B12 deficiency is a serious condition that causes many symptoms including mental illness, so you do not want to mess around. I highly recommend taking a supplement even if you eat animal products.

The reason why we no longer make enough B12 is most likely our modern way of living. We are too clean and have too much stress and take too many antibiotics and don’t eat enough organic vegetables. Because of this we don’t have enough of the right bacteria in our guts anymore. In the past people were exposed to more bacteria and less disinfectants and anti-bacterial products. We ate more garden fresh vegetables that were not washed and disinfected by machines. And we didn’t take antibiotics for every infection, we used other more natural remedies that did not kill the good bacteria in our guts. Not all bacteria is bad! In case you didn’t know it, your gut is a very important part of your immune system.

The following information was collected by asking https://chat.openai.com/chat questions about gut health, although I knew most of this already.

Why we should protect our gut health

Protecting our gut health is important because our gut is home to trillions of bacteria and other microorganisms that play a crucial role in maintaining our overall health and wellbeing. However, a number of factors such as a poor diet, stress, and the overuse of antibiotics can disrupt the balance of the gut microbiome, leading to a range of health problems. Some of the potential consequences of an imbalanced gut microbiome include:

• Digestive problems such as bloating, constipation, and diarrhea
• Increased risk of infection
• Inflammation and immune system dysfunction
• Mental health problems such as anxiety and depression

Here are some ways the gut protects your health.

• Producing vitamins and nutrients: The gut microbiota produce vitamins such as vitamin K and vitamin B12, which are essential for immune function.
• Regulating inflammation: The gut microbiota help to regulate inflammation in the body. Inflammation is a natural response to infection and injury, but chronic inflammation can be harmful and has been linked to a range of chronic diseases.
• Supporting the gut barrier: The gut barrier is a protective barrier that prevents harmful substances from entering the bloodstream. The gut microbiota help to maintain the integrity of the gut barrier and prevent harmful bacteria from entering the body.
• Training the immune system: The gut microbiota play a critical role in training the immune system to recognize and respond to pathogens. They do this by exposing the immune system to harmless bacteria and other substances, which helps to “train” the immune system to distinguish between harmful and harmless invaders.
• Communicating with the immune system: The gut microbiota communicate with the immune system through a range of signaling molecules, helping to regulate immune function and prevent harmful immune responses.

There are several ways to protect the gut microbiota and promote a healthy balance of bacteria in the gut:

• Eat a healthy, varied diet: A diet rich in whole, unprocessed foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins, can help to support the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut.
• Avoid antibiotics when possible: Antibiotics can disrupt the balance of bacteria in the gut, so it’s important to only use antibiotics when necessary and under the guidance of a healthcare provider.
• Take probiotics: Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that can help to support a healthy gut microbiota. Probiotics can be found in supplement form or in foods such as yogurt, kefir, and kimchi, as well as fermented foods like sauerkraut, miso, tempeh, and kombucha..
• Reduce stress: Stress can disrupt the balance of bacteria in the gut, so it’s important to find ways to manage stress, such as talking to a friend, listening to music, walking, spending time in nature, prayer, and gentle exercise.
• Avoid excessive alcohol consumption: Excessive alcohol consumption can disrupt the balance of bacteria in the gut, so drink alcohol in moderation, if at all.
• Get enough sleep: Sleep deprivation can lead to changes in the composition of the gut microbiota
• Avoid smoking: Smoking can disrupt the balance of bacteria in the gut, so it’s important to avoid smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke.

Which antibiotics can disrupt the gut microbiome?

All antibiotics can potentially have an impact on the gut microbiome, but some types of antibiotics are more likely to disrupt the gut microbiome than others. Broad-spectrum antibiotics, which are designed to kill a wide range of bacteria, are more likely to affect the gut microbiome than narrow-spectrum antibiotics, which target specific types of bacteria. The following antibiotics have been shown to have a particularly significant impact on the gut microbiome:

1. Clindamycin: Clindamycin is an antibiotic that is often prescribed to treat infections such as acne, pneumonia, and strep throat. It is known to have a particularly strong impact on the gut microbiome, and has been associated with a high risk of developing a potentially life-threatening condition called Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI).
2. Cephalosporins: Cephalosporins are a class of antibiotics that are commonly used to treat a wide range of bacterial infections. They are
3. broad-spectrum antibiotics and have been shown to have a significant impact on the gut microbiome.
4. Fluoroquinolones: Fluoroquinolones are a class of antibiotics that are often used to treat urinary tract infections, respiratory infections, and other bacterial infections. They are also broad-spectrum antibiotics and have been shown to have a significant impact on the gut microbiome.
5. Penicillins: Penicillins are a class of antibiotics that are widely used to treat bacterial infections. While they are not as broad-spectrum as some other types of antibiotics, they can still have an impact on the gut microbiome, especially when used for extended periods of time.

Me again. I share this information because most doctors do not. If you want to stay healthy, you must take charge of your health by educating yourself. You can even ask OpenAi, it’s actually quite fun, but I find that you have to ask the right questions to get the right answers, so be careful. The first answers you get may be general. Keep asking and you can get very specific answers like I did when I asked about the antibiotics.

In conclusion, even though humans were originally intended to eat a plant-based diet, our bodies have been greatly affected by the world we live in and we should all take a B12 supplement. I prefer a methylated spray, but capsules, chewables, and gummies work well, too. And we should be careful to not overuse antibiotics and restore our good bacteria with fermented foods, probiotics, and good yogurt if we do have to take them. Also, learn ways to deal with stress without alcohol or drugs that can also affect your health.

Note: Folic acid deficiency can be related. See https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/vitamin-b12-deficiency-anemia