Intestinal flora

The term intestinal flora describes the different populations of bacteria present naturally in the intestine.

Role of the intestinal bacteria

Millions of bacteria live in our intestine without causing disease. They are even essential for the correct functioning of our body: bacteria enable our intestinal mucosa to develop, they produce vitamins, they degrade some compounds and protect us against potentially pathogenic bacteria from our diet.

Consequences of imbalance of the intestinal flora

Disturbance of the intestinal flora, caused for example by antibiotics or stress, can cause various diseases including diarrhoea, inflammation and infections.