Gut Talk Series: Why and how gut microbiome is important for bone development

The gut microbiota contains an intricate balance of microbe strains which has been shown to affect health, including the health of bone.  There are many factors that signal between gut and bone including immune cells, bacterial metabolites/products that enter the blood stream. Bacteria produce an enormous number of metabolites, with one of the best examples being short chain fatty acids such as butyrate, which can regulate bone formation and reabsorption. Nutrition interventions influencing the microbiota composition in early life could potentially influence skeleton development.