Your Gut Bacteria Get Jet Lag Too

Many processes in our bodies are orchestrated on a ~24 hour schedule called the circadian rhythm. Body temperature, heart rate, blood pressure, the immune system, melatonin and other hormones, alertness and sleepiness, and much more, rise and fall over the course of a day timed by our internal clock. When we travel between time zones faster than our internal clock can adjust, we experience jet lag. Our internal clock is out of sync with local time. We notice this with difficulty being alert during the day and difficulty sleeping at night. We might not notice it, but our physical and mental performance may be impaired as well. Fellow Travelers We carry within our gut about 100 trillion bacteria each with their own internal clocks. The composition and function of this microbiome community changes predictably over the course of the day. Normally, these bacteria, our immune system, and our internal clock all communicate with each other and sync up. When we travel rapidly between time zones, our bacterial schedule can be in disarray. Just like the rest of us. Traveler’s Diarrhea: It’s Not Just Contaminated Food or Water Getting exposed to bacteria like Salmonella is more likely to cause infection at certain times of day. Experts in the circadian rhythm now think that disrupting the circadian rhythm, whether by jet lag, shift work, or blue light in the evening, can make people more susceptible to gut infections. Several times I’ve gotten traveler’s diarrhea after a long red...
Source: Conversations with Dr Greene - Category: Child Development Authors: Tags: Dr. Greene's Blog Jet Lag Microbiome Source Type: blogs