Issue 11 june 2018 Special Report Gut microbiota, a controllable factor in liver diseases

The story of the liver… Every minute of our lives, the liver receives 1 litre of blood from the gastrointestinal tract via the portal vein. This blood contains almost all the nutrients absorbed in the intestine, as well as a considerable quantity of metabolites produced by the bacteria of the gut microbiota.

It is therefore reasonable to think that after the intestine, the liver is the organ most affected by this microbiota’s activity. However, while the gut-liver axis has been identified and studied for decades, it is only recently that the microbial aspect has been considered. Now, as this issue’s special report shows, a growing number of studies have proven the gut microbiota's contribution to liver diseases such as metabolic steatosis, alcoholic liver disease and even viral hepatitises.

Therefore, while the gut microbiota may not be their cause, it could explain why we are not all equal when it comes to the risk of developing these diseases. The interview with Dr. Sophie Leclercq expands this view to a microbiotagut- liver-brain axis emphasising, if this is still indeed necessary, the gut bacteria’s ability to remotely influence how certain organs function. The liver and brain are considered vital organs of the human body. But what if they depend partly on our precious bacteria to function properly? Once again, we encourage you to look after your microbiota.

I hope you enjoy reading this issue.