Keep Your Gut Healthy to Reduce Lower Back Pain
If you suffer from lower back pain, you are not alone. It may surprise you to know that lower back pain is the leading cause of disability on the planet. There are a number of factors which can impact your risk of developing lower back pain. One factor which you may not have considered is your gut microbiome health and your risk of developing lower back pain.
New research links gut microbiome imbalance, also known as gut dysbiosis, to intervertebral disk degeneration or when the spaces between in the disks in your spine start to lose its ability to function as it should normally. It is predicted that your gut microbiome may impact your risk of developing lower back pain as your gut microbiome may infiltrate into the environment in your intervertebral disks. When the microbes are present in this environment, they may play a key role in your risk of developing intervertebral disk degeneration.
There is a direct link between your bone marrow and your gut called the gut-bone marrow axis. Secondly, the gut and your bone called the gut-bone axis and thirdly, the gut and disks in your spine called the gut-disk axis. All three of these axes may play a role in the development and risk of developing lower back pain.
When your gut microbiome is healthy, it contains microbes which support the health of your body. When there is gut dysbiosis, there is not enough of the health promoting microbes and less healthy gut microbes take their place. This can increase your risk of developing many types of diseases and affects the health of your body.
The microbe called P. acnes has been identified as the most frequently isolated microbe in those with vertebral osteomyelitis in the bone. Vertebral osteomyelitis is when your vertebrae become infected by a pathogenic microbe. P acnes presence is also linked to an increased risk of joint infectious diseases.
Lifestyle strategies you can use to promote an optimal gut microbiome, which may, as a result, promote back health is by aiming for 30 different plant foods a week. Each different plant food helps to feed the health promoting microbes in different ways by being different sources of prebiotics. Secondly, including 25-38g of dietary fiber each day. Dietary fiber can be found in good amounts in whole plant-based foods like whole grains, or whole grain containing foods such as Corn Thins slices, legumes, beans, vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds.
In addition to feeding the health promoting microbes in your gut, including two sources of probiotic rich foods a day is recommended. The World Health Organization defines probiotics as ‘live microbes, when given to your body in adequate amounts provide health benefits’. Probiotic rich foods can be found in foods like yoghurt, miso, tempeh, natto, sauerkraut, kefir, pickled cucumbers, gouda, mozzarella, cheddar, and cottage cheese.
Take home message: No one wants to suffer lower back pain. To help reduce your risk of suffering this pain, looking after the health of your gut microbiome may be key.
Reference:
- Li W, Lai K, Chopra N, Zheng Z, Das A, Diwan AD. Gut-disc axis: A cause of intervertebral disc degeneration and low back pain? Eur Spine J. 2022 Apr;31(4):917-925. doi: 10.1007/s00586-022-07152-8. Epub 2022 Mar 14. PMID: 35286474.