What is the intestinal flora ?
The intestinal flora includes all of the various bacteria (around 1014 CFU/g) which inhabit the human digestive tract and that we all live with in harmony. This flora plays a primary role in the metabolism of undigested nutrients in the small intestine. It also helps protect against pathogen infections throughout the digestive tract. We distinguish dominant bacteria populations (bifidobacteria) with concentrations of 108 to 1011 CFU/g from sub-dominant bacteria populations with concentrations between 104 to 108 CFU/g. Among the 400 to 500 species of bacteria present in the human body, the majority have a beneficial role, such as bifidobacteria, while others are potential pathogens (like clostridium), notably in cases of intestinal flora imbalance. This imbalance can result from stress, antibiotic treatment, etc.
