It's More Than Just a Gut Feeling: How Your Gut Affects Your Whole Body

Updated September 2026

Your gut is home to trillions of bacteria and other microbes, known as the gut microbiome. Far from being passengers, they help break down fibre, produce compounds called short chain fatty acids that nourish the cells lining your gut, and interact closely with your immune system.

What happens when the balance shifts?

A less diverse or imbalanced microbiome has been linked in research to a range of digestive and broader health issues. What's still unclear in many cases is cause and effect: whether changes in gut bacteria drive a problem, or result from it.

A note on "leaky gut"

Your gut lining acts as a selective barrier. Researchers can measure increased intestinal permeability, and it's seen in some conditions such as coeliac disease and inflammatory bowel disease. However, "leaky gut syndrome" isn't an established diagnosis, and there isn't yet good evidence that it causes the wide range of symptoms often attributed to it online.¹ Supporting your gut barrier is worthwhile, but be wary of anyone promising it will fix everything.

Signs worth paying attention to

Bloating, gas, discomfort and changes in bowel habits are common and often linked to diet, stress and routine. See your GP promptly if you notice blood in your stool, unexplained weight loss, a persistent change in bowel habits, pain that wakes you at night or have a family history of bowel cancer.

What supports a healthy gut

1. Fibre from a variety of plants. Different fibres feed different bacteria. The Nutrient Reference Values recommend around 25 g of fibre a day for women and 30 g for men.² Aim for variety across vegetables, fruit, legumes, wholegrains, nuts and seeds.

2. Fermented foods. In a Stanford study, adults who ate more fermented foods for 10 weeks increased their microbiome diversity and reduced several markers of inflammation.³ Our guide to kimchi and gut health covers how to choose fermented foods with live cultures.

3. Sleep, stress and movement. The gut and brain communicate constantly, and poor sleep and ongoing stress can both affect digestion.

4. Nutrients studied for gut support. Research is still emerging for many of these, but they're commonly used:

• Glutamine: an amino acid that fuels the cells lining the intestine.
• Colostrum: the first milk produced by cows, rich in immune proteins.
• Zinc carnosine: studied for supporting the stomach and gut lining.
• Slippery elm and marshmallow root: traditionally used to soothe the digestive tract.
• Pectin and inulin: prebiotic fibres that feed beneficial bacteria.
• Bacillus coagulans: a hardy probiotic strain.
• Heat treated Akkermansia muciniphila: a gut bacterium being studied for its role in the gut barrier.

The bottom line

Your gut health is connected to much more than digestion. The foundations are simple: plenty of varied plant fibre, some fermented foods, good sleep and managing stress. Supplements can support those foundations, not replace them.

Where Keeper fits: Keeper Good Gut brings together glutamine, colostrum, zinc carnosine, slippery elm, marshmallow root, pectin, inulin, Bacillus coagulans and heat treated Akkermansia muciniphila in a daily chocolate powder. Contains dairy. Every batch is third party tested. See our testing standards.

References

1. Camilleri M. Leaky gut: mechanisms, measurement and clinical implications in humans. Gut. 2019.
2. NHMRC. Nutrient Reference Values for Australia and New Zealand: Dietary fibre.
3. Wastyk HC et al. Gut microbiota targeted diets modulate human immune status. Cell. 2021.

This article is general information only and isn't a substitute for advice from your healthcare professional.